On Monday, July 21, US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack stated that “there is a Syrian government in place that must be held accountable and bear its responsibilities,” commenting on the recent violations in southern Syria’s Suwayda province.
Speaking at a press conference in Beirut in response to a question, Barrack explained, “Minorities and tribes used to live their lives in chaos under the previous government. When an incident occurred, they would turn to their tribes, families, and relatives for support.”
The ambassador described the recent events involving tribes and minorities as “horrifying and unthinkable,” expressing hope that a solution to these issues could be found quickly.
The intensity of clashes and fighting in Suwayda declined today as Internal Security Forces intervened to de-escalate the conflict between tribal forces and local Suwayda factions, and began evacuating Bedouin families who had been trapped.
Barrack noted that the current new Syrian government came into existence after more than 15 years of warfare and violence. Despite being unfamiliar with the current realities, “it has an army and security forces” and has been working with all factions and minorities for over seven months.
When asked about the United States’ stance on the recent events in southern Syria, Barrack said, “Generally, the United States sees the recent developments in Syria as a major concern. We sympathize and want to help, and we recognize that Syria’s new government units are trying to integrate all minorities.”
The ambassador added, “How important is it to integrate all Syrian minorities and coordinate with its neighbors—especially Israel? All of these components must work together.”
Yesterday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on X that the Damascus authorities must end the disaster in southern Syria if they wish to preserve any chance of a unified, inclusive, and peaceful Syria free of Islamic State influence and Iranian control. He called for the use of security forces to prevent ISIS and other “violent jihadists” from entering the area and committing atrocities.
The Secretary of State also called for accountability, demanding that anyone guilty of atrocities—regardless of their affiliation—be brought to justice, and for an end to the ongoing rapes and killings of innocent people.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented the killing of at least 558 people and the injury of more than 783 others, with varying degrees of severity, in Suwayda province between July 13 and 21.
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