The transitional Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, met with a delegation of As-Suwayda activists at the People’s Palace in Damascus, accompanied by the Governor of As-Suwayda, Dr. Mustafa al-Bakour.
On Tuesday, March 11, the official Syrian news agency (SANA) reported that the meeting emphasized “the importance of this historical phase of Syria’s timeline, during which the free Syrians aspire to a homeland characterized by justice, law, and fair representation of all segments of the Syrian people, despite the difficult regional and international conditions.”
Following the announcement of the meeting, media reports discussed a new agreement between Damascus and As-Suwayda, while sources close to the spiritual leadership in As-Suwayda denied any agreement regarding the governorate.
Al-Jazeera reported, citing unnamed sources, that the Syrian government reached an agreement with the people and dignitaries of As-Suwayda to fully integrate the governorate within state institutions.
The spokesperson for the Men of Dignity Movement, the largest military faction in As-Suwayda, Bassem Abu Fakhr, stated to Enab Baladi that the recently mentioned agreement is the same one announced by the movement days earlier.
Abu Fakhr pointed out that the agreement referred to in recent media reports does not contain any new clauses compared to what was announced previously.
The movement announced earlier, on March 6, that the Syrian Ministry of Interior had activated the activities of the General Security Forces in the governorate, using local personnel from the province.
Through a statement, the movement indicated that the entry of the General Security into the governorate was coordinated between the Men of Dignity Movement, Madafat al-Karama (The Dignity Guest House) and Ahrar Jabal al-Arab Gathering, on one side, and the Ministry of Interior on the other.
It added that local cadres and leaders from As-Suwayda manage the work of the General Security Forces, with the aim of stabilizing the security situation and combating crime and drugs, supported by logistical backing from the Ministry of Interior.
Following the announcement of the activation of the General Security in As-Suwayda, protests erupted in the city streets, demanding the dismissal of the governor appointed by Damascus to manage the governorate, and criticized President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his government.
Spiritual leadership denies
The Suwayda 24 news website, specializing in covering news from the governorate, reported yesterday, Tuesday, that a source close to the spiritual leadership in As-Suwayda stated that reports circulated in some media about reaching a new agreement between the dignitaries of As-Suwayda and the new administration in Damascus are untrue.
The unnamed source told the local website, “We are open to dialogue and extend our hands for good, but the talk about any new agreement is unfounded.”
The Men of Dignity Movement, for their part, published a video statement from their spokesperson, Bassem Abu Fakhr, on Tuesday, indicating that the agreement made between the factions of the governorate and Damascus had the initial approval of the spiritual leadership.
He added, as reported by the movement on Facebook, that as negotiations progressed between As-Suwayda’s representatives and the Ministry of Interior in Damascus, the representatives of the spiritual leader of the Druze community, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, withdrew without providing any justification for their withdrawal.
Awaiting constitutional declaration
The events following the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024, and the announcement of the formation of a new Syrian army led to what resembles a political and military division in As-Suwayda between those supportive of joining the Ministry of Defense in Damascus and those opposing it.
While the ministry was seeking to achieve an agreement with parties in As-Suwayda, a military formation known as the “Military Council in As-Suwayda” emerged, stating in a statement published on February 24 that it carries a “national project,” expressing its willingness to cooperate with Damascus.
The Council complicated the scene in the governorate; however, it did not engage in negotiations, nor did the Syrian government or local factions comment on its presence in As-Suwayda, knowing that numerous allegations had been directed at it regarding receiving support from Israel, which has expanded its activities in southern Syria for months.
The leader of the Military Council in As-Suwayda, Tariq al-Shoufi, has not responded to several inquiries raised by Enab Baladi through electronic correspondence regarding the accusations directed at him and his stance towards Damascus.
Prominent figures in As-Suwayda justify their hesitation to engage in a path of integration with Damascus, awaiting the constitutional declaration, linking any step toward integration with state institutions to the declaration of a comprehensive constitution that includes the rights of all Syrians.