Ceasefire agreement reached in Suwayda
Syrian authorities announced a full ceasefire in the city of Suwayda on Tuesday, following days of deadly clashes between local factions and tribal groups.
In a statement, Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra ordered all units operating inside the city to halt fire after an agreement was reached with community elders and local dignitaries, though forces would respond 'only to direct attacks or sources of gunfire from outlaw groups.'
The announcement came as security units entered Suwayda, a move confirmed by Brigadier General Ahmad al-Dalati, Head of Internal Security in neighboring Daraa, who urged residents to "remain calm" and cooperate with state institutions.
Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri later publicly disavowed an earlier statement that had welcomed the deployment of Interior and Defense Ministry forces. 'The statement was imposed on us by Damascus and foreign powers,' he said, accusing the government of breaking its promises and calling on locals to resist the forces of transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
'Recent bloodshed in the province highlighted the urgent need for official institutions—especially security and military forces—to reassert control,' the leadership said in a statement, urging renewed efforts to reactivate state structures in cooperation with local professionals.
Clashes initially erupted on Sunday after a reported robbery targeting a merchant on the Damascus highway escalated into kidnappings and armed confrontations. However, the fiercest fighting broke out Monday morning, when Bedouin groups—reportedly supported by elements from the Defense and Interior Ministries—launched an assault from eastern rural Daraa, targeting several villages in Suwayda's western countryside.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the violence left at least 116 people dead, including 64 residents of Suwayda and 52 from Bedouin tribes, government troops, and unidentified individuals in military uniforms. Dozens more were wounded, including children, some in critical condition.
#المرصد_السوري خلال 48 ساعة مقتل 116 شخص في اشـ ـتـ ـبـ ـاكـ ـات #السويداء.. والأطراف الـ ـمـ ـتـ ـصـ ـارعـ ـة تتوصل إلى وقف إطـ ـلاق نـ ـار في المحافظة https://t.co/f4sXWRfuVo
— المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) July 15, 2025
In response, army and security units deployed across the province in an attempt to contain the fighting and protect civilians—marking the first time government forces have entered the city since al-Sharaa took office in December.
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