Negotiations Underway to De-Escalate Violence in Sweida, Residents Appeal for Accountability and Peace
Talks mediated by a Gulf state seek to restore calm between local Druze factions and the Syrian government amid shifting power dynamics and rising civilian demands for state responsibility
Syria, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Sources familiar with the situation in Sweida, southern Syria, told Al Mayadeen that negotiations are currently ongoing between local actors and the Syrian government, under the sponsorship of a Gulf Arab state.
The aim of the talks is to de-escalate tensions and return the province to the relative calm that preceded the recent wave of violence. Mediators are working to halt hostilities, rebuild trust between Druze factions and Damascus, and prevent the further spread of conflict.
These efforts follow mounting civilian pressure from residents and intellectuals in Sweida who have called for calm, accountability, and the protection of the city’s social cohesion.
Their message underscores a shared “moral and national responsibility” to prevent the province from sliding further into chaos.
Negotiators Demand Accountability from All Sides
According to the same sources, the negotiating delegation—representing residents of Sweida—has insisted on holding to account those responsible for triggering the violence, including both internal security forces and Druze factions that allegedly broke promises made to the Druze spiritual leadership.
The delegation has emphasized the need to prosecute individuals who undermined neutrality efforts and escalated the conflict.
A significant development in the local power structure has also emerged: the so-called Suwayda Military Council has reportedly taken command of military operations in the province.
This includes confronting Druze armed groups affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense, signaling a realignment of internal allegiances and a push for autonomous decision-making by local actors.
Residents Call for Full State Engagement and Civil Peace
Sweida residents, in a collective appeal, have called on the Syrian government to fulfill its constitutional duty to protect civilians and public property.
They urged Damascus to reassert full control through civil and security institutions, hold wrongdoers accountable, and avoid arbitrary or disproportionate responses that could worsen the situation.
The statement also urged the government to secure the Damascus-Sweida highway—described as a lifeline for economic, educational, and social mobility—warning that its instability could paralyze daily life.
Residents encouraged continuous dialogue between state authorities and the province’s intellectual and social figures, seeing them as crucial partners in achieving civil peace and collective awareness.
In closing, the signatories delivered a heartfelt plea to end the bloodshed and return to a path of reason, unity, and transparent national responsibility. (PW)