As deadly clashes continue in Syria’s Druze-majority province of Sweida between Bedouin militias and armed Druze groups, former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt called on Monday for a political de-escalation under the authority of the Syrian government.
In a statement to An-Nahar newspaper, Joumblatt expressed hope for “the return of security and understanding in Sweida, through a political solution overseen by the Syrian authorities with whom we are in communication.”
He firmly rejected any calls for foreign intervention, particularly from Israel, stressing the need for a strictly national approach to restore stability in the region, already weakened by months of tension.
The fighting, which broke out on Sunday, July 13, has already claimed 89 lives, including two children. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the casualties include 34 Druze, 10 Bedouins and 6 Syrian security personnel. Dozens of others, including children, remain in critical condition.
The Syrian army has launched intervention operations in the western part of the province, while calls for restraint are multiplying within the Druze community.
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