Damascus - New York: Europe and the Arabs
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa announced a decision to assign some local factions and religious sheikhs to restore security in Sweida, stressing that "our Druze people are an essential part of the nation's fabric and protecting them is a priority for us."
Sharaa indicated that "Syria is not a testing ground for foreign conspiracies nor a place to implement the ambitions of others," affirming "the ability to overcome all attempts by the Israeli entity aimed at tearing us apart."
The Syrian Ministry of Defense announced the beginning of the withdrawal of army forces from the city of Sweida in implementation of the terms of the agreement and after completing the sweep of the city, according to what was reported by the European news network in Brussels, "Euronews."
The Syrian president delivered a sermon on Thursday, addressing the people regarding the latest developments in Sweida and the concurrent Israeli escalation, which he described as "attempts to target Syria's stability and sow discord among its people."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that putting an end to the troubling situation in Syria requires all parties to fulfill their obligations, and this is exactly what we expect from them. He added: We agreed on specific steps that will put an end to the situation in Syria tonight.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that no action should be taken that would escalate the situation in Syria amid the turmoil in the Middle East.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed grave concern about the continued escalation of violence in Sweida – a Druze-majority area – which has reportedly killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and injured and displaced many others. According to the UN Daily News Bulletin, a copy of which was received,
The Secretary-General unequivocally condemned all forms of violence against civilians, including reports of arbitrary killings and actions that he said fuel sectarian tensions and deny the Syrian people their opportunity for peace and reconciliation after fourteen years of brutal conflict.
In a statement attributable to his spokesperson, the Secretary-General offered his deepest condolences to all Syrians, reiterating his call for an immediate de-escalation of violence and urgent measures to restore calm and facilitate humanitarian access. The Secretary-General noted the statement from the Office of the President condemning the violations and pledging to investigate them and hold those responsible accountable. António Guterres reiterated his call for transparency in this process.
The Secretary-General also condemned the escalating Israeli airstrikes on Sweida, Daraa, and central Damascus, as well as reports of Israeli forces redeploying in the Golan Heights. He called for an immediate end to all violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity and for respect for the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
The Secretary-General reiterated the need to support a credible, orderly, and inclusive political transition in Syria, in line with the key principles of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015).
The UN Envoy is engaged with the parties.
In a related development, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, is conducting intensive contacts amid this crisis, while his deputy, Najat Rochdi, is in Damascus and actively engaging with the various parties. On the humanitarian front, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that deadly hostilities continue to put civilians at risk, with continued reports of massive displacement and damage to vital infrastructure, including water, electricity, and communications networks.
The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, said that the United Nations and its humanitarian partners plan to send a delegation to assess needs and provide basic assistance in Sweida, as soon as conditions permit, in full cooperation with the relevant authorities.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and AFP witnesses reported the incident, coinciding with the announcement by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa that Druze factions would be responsible for security and his condemnation of Israeli intervention.
The director of the Observatory, Rami Abdel Rahman, said, "The Syrian authorities have withdrawn their military forces from the city of Sweida and all parts of the governorate." An AFP correspondent quoted government fighters on the outskirts of the governorate as saying that government forces had completed their withdrawal at dawn. "It seemed empty of government forces, but the situation is catastrophic, with bodies lying in the streets," Rayan Maarouf, editor-in-chief of the Suwayda 24 network, told AFP after touring the city.