Syria, Jordan, US back Suwayda truce and aid access

Syria, Jordan, US back Suwayda truce and aid access
2025-07-20 12:20

Shafaq News – Suwayda (updated at 4:00 p.m.)

On Sunday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani held a tripartite meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack to discuss the situation in Suwayda.

According to a statement by the Syrian Foreign Ministry, aal-Shibani, for his part, praised the roles of Jordan and the United States in securing the ceasefire and supporting Syria’s efforts to stabilize Suwayda and protect its residents.

Safadi and Barrack expressed full support for the truce and for the Syrian government’s role in ensuring its implementation, welcoming the Syrian government’s pledge to hold accountable those responsible for abuses against civilians during recent clashes.

The three sides agreed on a set of operational steps to reinforce the agreement, including the deployment of Syrian security forces across Suwayda, the release of detainees held by all parties, and the promotion of local reconciliation efforts. They also underscored the need for expanded humanitarian access and the restoration of state authority under the rule of law.

The ceasefire comes after days of deadly clashes between local armed factions and Bedouin tribal fighters in and around Suwayda. Earlier, Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba announced that all tribal fighters had been cleared from the city and that violence within urban neighborhoods had ceased.

Meanwhile, humanitarian aid convoys arrived in Suwayda today under the supervision of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. The convoys included ambulances, food, and medical supplies. According to Health Minister Musab al-Ali, only Red Crescent teams were permitted entry, while the government delegation accompanying the aid was turned back to Damascus after being denied access by local authorities.

The Health Ministry’s media office confirmed to state news agency SANA that the official convoy returned to the capital, leaving the Red Crescent to carry out the aid delivery alone.

In a statement, the prominent Druze religious leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri welcomed all humanitarian assistance provided through international and relief organizations.

Calling for an immediate end to the “brutal assault on Suwayda,” the statement condemned disinformation campaigns and inflammatory rumors aimed at fueling violence and sectarianism.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) revealed that more than 1,000 people have been killed in Suwayda clashes. The toll includes 336 Druze fighters and 298 Druze civilians. On the other side, 342 personnel from the Ministry of Defense and the General Security Directorate were killed, along with 21 members of Bedouin tribes.

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