Syrian, Jordanian, US launch roadmap to reconcile Sweida After deadly sectarian clashes

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani has announced a plan backed by Jordan and the United States to restore calm to Druze-majority Sweida province, which witnessed deadly violence in July.

“The Syrian government has laid out a clear roadmap for action... that supports justice and builds trust,” al-Shaibani said in a press conference, adding that the plan involves “holding accountable” those who attacked civilians, “compensating those affected,” and “launching a process of internal reconciliation,” Caliber.Az reports via Arabic media.

Commenting on the matter, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, present at the event with US envoy Tom Barrack, said a “joint Syrian-Jordanian-American mechanism” would ensure the plan’s implementation.

As a reminder, the sectarian clashes erupted on July 13, initially triggered by the abduction of a Druze truck driver on a public highway, which escalated into revenge attacks between Druze militias and Bedouin tribal fighters. Bedouin groups, often aligned with the Syrian government or external actors, streamed into Sweida from across the country in support of their communities. Fighting intensified between July 14 and 16, involving local Druze militias, Bedouin tribes, and Syrian transitional government forces deployed to restore order. The violence resulted in over 1,100 deaths, including civilians, women, children, Druze fighters, Bedouin tribesmen, and Syrian security forces, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Israel intervened militarily on July 15-16, launching airstrikes on Syrian government forces, Bedouin fighters, and sites in Sweida and Damascus to protect the Druze community, citing accusations of abuses by Damascus troops.

A fragile truce was brokered on July 16, with Syrian forces initially siding with Bedouins before withdrawing, leading to further Druze attacks on Bedouin areas. Renewed ceasefires followed on July 19 and later, facilitated by US mediation, including a deal to halt Israeli strikes. However, violations persisted, with reports of sieges, aid blockages, and calls for Druze independence or self-determination from leaders like al-Hajari.

By Khagan Isayev