Syrian presidency accuses Druze fighters of violating ceasefire

The Syrian presidency on Thursday night accused Druze fighters in Sweida of breaching the ceasefire agreement, under which government forces had withdrawn from the southern province, home to a majority Druze population.

In an official statement, the presidency said that what it described as “outlawed forces”—a term it uses to refer to Druze factions in Sweida—had launched “a horrific act of violence, widely documented by international observers, involving heinous crimes that blatantly violate the terms of the mediation, pose a direct threat to civil peace, and push the region towards chaos and security collapse.”

The statement also warned against what it called “blatant Israeli interference in Syria’s internal affairs,” claiming that such actions “only lead to further chaos and destruction and add complexity to the regional situation.”

According to the presidency, the decision to withdraw government forces from Sweida was taken “to prevent further escalation and in response to the US-Arab mediation efforts, aimed at allowing room for de-escalation in Sweida province, based on a clear understanding that outlawed forces would refrain from acts of revenge or violence against civilians.”

The statement reaffirmed the call for “all sides to de-escalate and show restraint,” and stressed that “all those found guilty of committing crimes and violating the law—regardless of their affiliation—will be held firmly accountable.”

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