A preliminary agreement was reached on Thursday between the Syrian government and Druze leaders from the towns of Suwayda and Jaramana. The two parties are set to engage in further discussions to establish peaceful measures aimed at resolving the tensions between them.
The announcement was made on Thursday evening by the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Beirut. In a statement, the PSP indicated that this agreement was achieved following contacts with the Syrian state and other parties. While the statement did not provide further details, it expressed gratitude to those who contributed to reaching this understanding. "We hope that all concerned parties will adhere to it in order to restore calm and stability to the region," the statement read.
According to media reports, this compromise, presented as an initiative to restore stability in the country's south, notably includes increased security measures and partial disarmament of local factions.
Under the terms of the agreement, Syrian authorities commit to deploying additional units from the Ministry of Defense to sensitive areas such as Jaramana and Sahnaya. Local armed groups are required to surrender their heavy weapons to the state. The Ministry of the Interior, supported by the Syrian judiciary, will resume an active presence in the Suwayda governorate, with announced cooperation from local representatives. Another stated priority is to restore security on the strategic road linking Suwayda to Damascus.
This reconciliation text comes amid heightened tensions following two days of sectarian violence that resulted in over a hundred deaths, primarily among the Druze community. The violence was triggered by the circulation on social media of an audio message deemed blasphemous towards the Prophet Muhammad, falsely attributed to a Druze cleric. Despite denials, the tension quickly escalated into deadly clashes in Jaramana and Sahnaya, towns housing Druze and Muslim communities. Videos circulating on social media show pro-government militiamen abusing captured Druze men, further fueling the tensions.
Despite the announcement of the agreement, the situation remains tense in the regions where the clashes occurred. In the face of the sectarian violence of the past two days, Druze leaders from the Suwayda municipality expressed deep concern and reaffirmed their commitment to Syrian national unity, while criticizing the Syrian government.
Mistrust persists within the Druze community, which fears for its security in the face of a government perceived as hostile. Syrian authorities, for their part, reaffirm their commitment to protecting all components of the Syrian people, including the Druze community, while rejecting any foreign interference.
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