While the legal committee formed by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri accuses the Syrian government of “besieging Suwayda and blocking the entry of fuel and flour,” activists, in turn, accuse the legal committee of fabricating the crisis.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent reported on Saturday, September 27, that 200 tons of flour were headed to Suwayda via the Damascus road, accompanied by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent under the World Food Programme.
Enab Baladi spoke with residents of Suwayda, who expressed their frustration at the deteriorating living conditions in the province as winter approaches.
Nawar al-Khatib (a pseudonym for security reasons), who lives in southern Suwayda, said he is forced to wait in line for five to seven consecutive hours just to get one bundle of bread, describing the humanitarian situation as “miserable,” amid widespread hoarding and greed by bakery owners.
He argued that it is the duty of the Syrian state to ensure the entry of flour into the province, home to nearly one million people, calling on all responsible parties to act before winter arrives.
Near the city of Shahba, Asma Nasr (a pseudonym) described the flour shortage as a “catastrophe,” urging urgent action, though she had no idea about the causes of the crisis.
Three other residents, from Raha, al-Maqous, and Rimat Hazem, declined to reveal their names for personal and security reasons, but said they are struggling to obtain bread. They avoided discussing the reasons for the crisis, fearing harassment and threats.
Causes of the Crisis in Suwayda
Suleiman Abdul-Baqi, Suwayda’s internal security chief, said in a video posted on his personal Facebook page on September 26 that the flour crisis in Suwayda was caused by the legal committee’s refusal to pay for flour dues, accusing it of claiming a “siege.”
In coordination with the General Grain Corporation in Damascus, it was revealed that the legal committee in Suwayda had recently received nearly 2,000 tons of flour and distributed it to bakeries, valued at $400,000, according to Abdul-Baqi. This, he said, prompted the corporation to halt further flour shipments until payment was settled.
He accused the committee of “stealing these funds and failing to pay the General Grain Corporation,” urging Suwayda’s local community to cooperate with the Syrian government in securing basic services.
On the other side, Suwayda’s bakeries director, appointed by the “Supreme Legal Committee” that manages the province’s affairs, Muin Shalhoub, accused “authorities in Damascus” (the Syrian government) of causing the bread crisis in Suwayda by blocking the supply of flour and fuel needed for bread production. In a video statement on September 26, he claimed that flour reaching the province came only from relief organizations, international bodies, and local community contributions.
Shalhoub further accused the Syrian government of targeting the Umm al-Zaytoun mill in Suwayda, saying it was deliberately set on fire, destroying wheat, and that silos were shelled.
On August 6, the spiritual leadership of the Druze community in Suwayda (southern Syria) formed committees to manage the province’s service, legal, and security files, aiming to organize Suwayda’s self-administration.
According to a statement by the Supreme Legal Committee’s media office, its tasks include managing the province’s affairs across all sectors, preserving public and private institutions, “lifting injustice and harm from citizens of all components, and combating corruption.”
Government: We Are Not Responsible
Suwayda governor Mustafa al-Bakur told the state-run al-Ikhbariya channel that “the flour crisis in Suwayda was fabricated to cover other matters inside the province.”
On September 25, he said that funds allocated for flour in Suwayda’s mills were “spent in unclear ways,” stressing that the government is facilitating all efforts to deliver humanitarian aid, including flour, into Suwayda.
He added that “commercial convoys and traders are free to bring flour into Suwayda,” emphasizing that the only government condition for bringing food supplies into the province is preventing hoarding and price manipulation.
“We tell our people in Suwayda: let’s start a new page and mend what has happened,” he said.
Al-Bakur stressed the need to separate Suwayda’s service issues from politics, warning that “rumors about settling tribal families in Druze areas aim to incite sedition.”
He also noted ongoing work to restore infrastructure in areas vacated by residents, to facilitate their return.
The governor called on displaced residents of Suwayda’s countryside to return to their homes, pledging to provide for their needs.
Roadmap
At a joint press conference, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, and US Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack announced a roadmap that “guarantees rights, supports justice, strengthens reconciliation, and opens the way for healing,” according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The three countries affirmed their commitment to joint work for Syria’s stability, unity, and sovereignty, and to supporting a “comprehensive, Syrian-led” political process that ensures participation of all components and reflects social diversity, with emphasis on fighting terrorism and extremism and ending societal divisions.
The roadmap outlined urgent measures, including:
Inviting the Syrian government to allow the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry to investigate events in Suwayda and prosecute all perpetrators under Syrian law.
Continuing humanitarian and medical aid deliveries to the province in cooperation with the UN, ensuring the return of basic services with Jordanian and US support.
Deploying trained police forces along the Suwayda–Damascus road to secure travel and trade, and replacing local fighters with regular forces.
Supporting Red Cross efforts to release all detainees and hostages and complete exchanges.
Jordan, in coordination with the Syrian government, inviting delegations from Suwayda’s local communities (Druze, Christians, Sunnis) and another from tribal representatives for reconciliation talks.
Announcing reconstruction plans for damaged villages and properties, with Jordanian and US assistance to secure funding.
The roadmap also called for strengthening a “national narrative” of unity and equality, criminalizing hate speech and sectarianism through new legislation, with legal support from Washington and Amman.
Events in Suwayda
The Suwayda events began on July 12 after mutual kidnappings between residents of the al-Maqous neighborhood (with a Bedouin majority) and members of the Druze community, which escalated the following day into armed clashes.
On July 14, the Syrian government intervened to end the conflict, but its involvement was accompanied by violations against Druze civilians, prompting local factions, including those previously aligned with the Defense and Interior ministries, to retaliate.
On July 16, government forces withdrew from Suwayda after being struck by Israel, followed by violations and reprisals against Bedouin residents of the province, leading to the mobilization of armed convoys as “tribal reinforcements” in their defense.
Subsequently, the Syrian government and Israel reached a US-brokered agreement to halt military operations.
What are the causes of the flour crisis in Suwayda province, southern Syria? Enab Baladi.
Hence then, the article about what are the causes of the flour crisis in suwayda province southern syria was published today ( ) and is available on ُEnabbaladi ( Syria ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( What are the causes of the flour crisis in Suwayda province, southern Syria? )
Also on site :