The Governor of As-Suwayda, Dr. Mustafa al-Bakour, and the spiritual leader of the Druze community, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, signed an understanding agreement to resolve the issues of the province, which was published today, Wednesday, March 12.

As-Suwayda Governorate stated that the understanding agreement was agreed upon by the attendees and included the activation of the judicial police and the security file within the Ministry of Interior, organizing defected officers and individuals along with all armed factions under the Ministry of Defense, in addition to paying overdue salaries for employees and reassessing the situations of those dismissed from work before December 8, 2024.

The agreement also stipulated financial and administrative reform of government institutions, expediting the appointment of temporary executive office members to address the needs of employees, with an emphasis on maintaining civil peace and preventing encroachments on public and private properties.

The provisions included the removal of encroachments on state properties according to a studied plan and finding alternatives, along with allocating the former Baath party building as the main headquarters for the university in the province.

The agreement took place during an organizational and administrative meeting held at the residence of the spiritual leadership of the Druze community in al-Qanawat, with the participation of several members who represented As-Suwayda during the National Dialogue Conference, where the current conditions of As-Suwayda were discussed.

It was mentioned in the provisions of the agreement that the signatories to these clauses would serve as a follow-up committee for their implementation, with ongoing consultations and solutions for any new developments or incidents not covered in the clauses.

For its part, the website “Suwayda 24,” which specializes in covering news from the province, reported from a source at the spiritual leadership of As-Suwayda that the understanding document resulting from the meeting among a group of politicians and the envoy of the new administration is a series of demands for the new administration and not a final agreement.

The source added that the clauses included in the understanding document are a set of requests that the envoy of the administration committed to ensuring that the state implements them, and there are numerous other files still under negotiation.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with a delegation of As-Suwayda activists at the People’s Palace in Damascus, accompanied by Governor Dr. Mustafa al-Bakour, on March 11.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the meeting emphasized “the importance of this historic phase in Syria’s timeline, during which free Syrians aspire to a homeland that embodies justice, law, and fair representation for all segments of the Syrian people, despite the difficult regional and international circumstances.”

Following the announcement of the meeting, media reports discussed a new agreement between Damascus and As-Suwayda, while sources close to the spiritual leadership of the Druze community denied the existence of any agreement concerning the province.

Qatari channel “Al Jazeera” reported from unnamed sources that the Syrian government had reached an agreement with the people and dignitaries of As-Suwayda to fully integrate the province into state institutions.