Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has announced the transfer of security responsibility in the southern city of Sweida to local factions and Druze sheikhs. The city has been the scene of bloody sectarian clashes since Sunday.
“We prioritized the interests of the Syrian people over chaos and destruction,” Sharaa stated in a televised address. “We decided that local factions and the wise sheikhs will assume responsibility for maintaining security in Sweida,” he added, citing “the necessity to avoid plunging into a new large-scale war” after four days of violence.
Sharaa explained that Syria faced two options: “an open war with the Israeli entity at the expense of our Druze people, their security, and the stability of Syria and the entire region, or giving the Druze elders and sheikhs the opportunity to come to their senses and prioritize the national interest.”
The Syrian leader praised American, Arab, and Turkish mediation for saving the region from an “uncertain fate,” while simultaneously criticizing Israel for targeting civilian and government structures. “The Israeli entity resorted to a large-scale attack against civilian and government facilities,” Sharaa declared. He stated this led to a “significant complication of the situation and pushed things towards large-scale escalation,” crediting the mediation with preventing this outcome.
Sharaa pledged to hold accountable those responsible for abuses against what he termed “our Druze people, who are under the protection and responsibility of the State.” He asserted that “the Syrian state intervened to end the clashes between armed groups in Sweida and surrounding areas.”
Syrian government forces deployed in the predominantly Druze city since Tuesday began withdrawing yesterday following a ceasefire agreement. The troops had been accused of fighting alongside Bedouin tribes.