Enab Baladi – Amir Huquq
Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates announced the adoption of a roadmap to resolve the crisis in Suwayda province (southern Syria), following a tripartite meeting in Damascus on September 16 that brought together Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi, and US Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack.
According to the ministry’s statement, participants agreed on a roadmap affirming that Suwayda is an integral part of Syria and its people are equal citizens in rights and duties. They emphasized that bridging the trust gap between the government and residents requires gradual steps to rebuild confidence and fully reintegrate the province into state institutions.
The roadmap represents an attempt by the government to regain control with the consent of Suwayda’s residents, moving past recent months of clashes and insecurity that left heavy human, material, and moral losses.
International support, local rejection
The agreement’s provisions grant Suwayda broad administrative decentralization, including the possibility of appointing or electing the governor and executive council, and ensuring that police and local security are staffed by qualified residents of the province, according to political writer Darwish Khalifa.
Khalifa told Enab Baladi that the deal was fair to all sides in Suwayda, particularly as it recognized violations committed by various actors and expressed determination to pursue reconciliation. He added that the roadmap lays out a program for stability and social justice.
For journalist and political researcher Firas Allawi, the agreement reflects a regional and American desire for stability in Syria and for neutralizing hotspots in the south as part of broader security measures for the country.
He suggested Jordan’s interest lies in preventing instability from spilling over its borders, while the US seeks to stabilize southern Syria as a step toward a future security agreement between Syria and Israel.
Meanwhile, protests erupted on September 20 in Suwayda city’s al-Karama Square, as well as in Shahba and Qarya towns, demanding the right to self-determination, the release of all abductees, and disclosure of the fate of the missing. Similar demonstrations in mid-August called for “self-determination” and displayed Israeli flags.
The “High Legal Committee in Suwayda” rejected the roadmap, pointing to what it described as a contradiction: while the plan invites the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria to investigate, it also stipulates accountability under Syrian law. The committee said it had no confidence in national courts, describing this as emptying the international probe of meaning, since “the accused cannot also be the judge.”
It further accused the government of attempting to impose new guardianship over Suwayda through talk of local councils and joint policing, calling it an effort to sow division.
Khalifa believes the committee’s outright rejection poses an obstacle to implementation, as anticipated by the US envoy, who had acknowledged that the deal would face hurdles, not least given Israeli influence in Suwayda and the Netanyahu government’s support for armed groups aligned with Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri. Still, he argued there may be room for compromise through “grey areas” as a foundation for gradual progress.
Allawi, for his part, said the committee only represents one faction in Suwayda, namely the military council linked to al-Hijri, and serves its interests. He stressed that despite delays, implementation is preferable for all parties, provided dialogue begins with the inclusion of local representatives and with Jordanian and American guarantees.
Both the US and the European Union expressed support for the roadmap. In addition, the envoys of Syria, Jordan, and the US sent a joint letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council president, requesting the roadmap’s adoption as an official document for restoring stability in southern Syria.
Building trust as the first step
Political circles have circulated proposals for practical steps to speed up the agreement’s implementation and re-anchor Suwayda within Syria.
Khalifa argued that trust-building is the key initial step, requiring incremental “step-by-step” actions rather than setbacks. He compared this with the slow, uneven implementation of the March 10 agreement between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi.
According to him, the sponsors and Syrian authorities aim for the roadmap to serve as a model for resolving other disputes with opposition groups. However, he warned that force has dominated solutions in Syria for 14 years, often worsening crises instead of solving them.
Allawi agreed, saying initial measures must focus on building confidence among residents. He explained that the roadmap restores the Syrian state’s presence across national territory, with political symbolism rooted in international and regional recognition of Damascus.
He suggested that early steps should include faithfully implementing the statement’s provisions, engaging Suwayda’s residents fully, increasing aid, reconnecting the province with the rest of Syria, and gradually reintegrating state institutions with reliance on local personnel.
The Suwayda events began on July 12 with mutual kidnappings between residents of al-Maqous neighborhood, where most are Bedouin, and members of the Druze community. These escalated into clashes the following day.
Government intervention on July 14 was marred by violations against Druze civilians, prompting local factions, including those formerly aligned with the Interior and Defense ministries, to retaliate. Israeli strikes on July 16 forced government troops to withdraw from the province, triggering retaliatory abuses against Bedouin residents and the deployment of tribal armed convoys in their defense.
Roadmap measures
The roadmap outlines several urgent steps:
The Syrian government will invite the UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate events in Suwayda, with all perpetrators to be prosecuted under Syrian law.
Humanitarian and medical aid will continue to flow in cooperation with the UN, with Jordanian and American support for restoring essential services.
Qualified police will be deployed on the Suwayda–Damascus highway to secure civilian and commercial traffic, while civilian fighters will withdraw from the province’s borders and be replaced by regular forces.
Support for Red Cross efforts to release all detainees and abductees, and to complete prisoner exchanges.
Jordan, in coordination with Damascus, will convene delegations of Druze, Christian, and Sunni communities in Suwayda, alongside Bedouin tribal representatives, for reconciliation talks.
Plans for reconstruction of damaged villages and properties, backed by Jordanian and US funding.
Promotion of a “national narrative” based on unity and equality, with new legislation criminalizing hate speech and sectarianism, supported legally by Washington and Amman.
Syria’s Suwayda: Internationally backed roadmap faces local rejection Enab Baladi.
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