Tensions in southern Syria’s Suwayda appear to be easing, following statements from the Spiritual Leadership of the Druze Unitarian community welcoming the entry of government forces.
On Tuesday, July 15, the Spiritual Leadership, headed by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri—the highest Druze religious authority in the governorate—endorsed the deployment of Interior and Defense Ministry forces to regain control of security and military institutions and to stabilize the province.
The Leadership urged all armed factions in Suwayda to cooperate with the Interior Ministry, refrain from resisting the deployment, and surrender their weapons to state authorities in a bid to prevent further bloodshed and restore order.
It stressed that the government must assert authority in Suwayda through its official institutions, especially the military and security services.
This endorsement marks a shift from Sheikh al-Hijri’s earlier stance, in which he opposed the military’s entry into the governorate and called for international protection.
The Leadership also renewed its call for dialogue with the Syrian government to address the fallout of recent clashes and to reinstate institutional governance in collaboration with local communities and experts across various sectors.
In response, Ahmad al-Dalati, head of Internal Security in Suwayda, welcomed the Spiritual Leadership’s statement, calling it a responsible and patriotic move.
He urged religious authorities and social actors to unite behind the Interior Ministry’s efforts to restore state authority and stabilize the governorate. He also appealed to armed groups operating outside the law to cease resistance and surrender their weapons in order to safeguard civil peace and protect citizens.
The Ministry of Defense’s Media and Communications Directorate confirmed that military operations were still ongoing across Suwayda, aimed at restoring security.
Residents of Suwayda city were asked to remain indoors and report suspicious movement of armed groups allegedly attempting to hide in civilian areas.
On the evening of Monday, July 14, the Defense Ministry published a video statement by its spokesperson, Colonel Hassan Abdel-Ghany, outlining the situation on the ground.
Abdel-Ghany attributed the recent unrest to an extended period of administrative and institutional vacuum in the governorate, which he said had created a breeding ground for chaos and lawlessness.
He reported that Syrian army units came under attack from an outlawed armed group during their deployment, resulting in 18 soldiers killed and several others wounded.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to defending national security and pledged to “end this senseless fighting and pursue all groups operating outside the law.”
The latest wave of violence was sparked on Saturday morning, July 12, when unknown gunmen intercepted a civilian, Fadlallah Duwarah—a produce vendor—near the village of Khirbet al-Shiyab, just south of Damascus. He was en route to Suwayda in a vegetable-laden truck.
The incident triggered clashes between local factions in Suwayda and tribal fighters near the administrative border with Daraa, prompting the intervention of Defense and Interior Ministry forces.
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