Al-Balous warns of a divisive project targeting Sweida and calls for urgent investigation into the violations

Laith Al-Balous, a leader in the "Dignity Men's Assembly", confirmed that Sweida province is going through a difficult and painful phase, witnessing bloody violations targeting civilians including women, children, and elderly people. He expressed condolences to every family that lost their loved ones, calling for prayers for the souls of the victims and for the protection of the remaining Syrians' blood.

Al-Balous condemned, in a statement, "the bloodshed in Sweida in the strongest terms", holding full responsibility "for anyone who involved the Druze community in external conflicts aimed at tearing apart the Syrian fabric and pursuing hostile agendas". He emphasized that "the Druze are an integral part of the Syrian people, and they should be dealt with on this basis, away from any religious or sectarian considerations".

He also praised the positions of the dignitaries and references in the province who declared their support for the state and called for "restraint and rejection of incitement and monopolizing destiny speech", pointing out that "what is intended for Sweida is the beginning of a broader project targeting the rest of the regions", and called on everyone to "reject sedition and division".

Al-Balous urged the Syrian state to "fully assume its responsibilities and open an urgent investigation into the violations against civilians, work to prevent their recurrence, and ensure the safety of citizens", and appealed to the UN Security Council to "make decisions supportive of Syria's stability and support the state in confronting destructive projects".

He explained that "the Dignity Men's Assembly" has presented initiatives since the fall of the Assad regime "to preserve the security of Sweida and prevent bloodshed", but they were met with "rejection by those who chose to monopolize the decision of the community", leading to the current situation, noting that "the entry of the state into some areas came after notifying the references that did not inform anyone, for reasons that are still mysterious".

He stressed the need to differentiate between "those who carry weapons out of necessity to defend their families, and those who have succumbed to external agendas aimed at sabotage", affirming that "protecting civilians of all components is the responsibility of the state", and that "national forces in Sweida were a cornerstone in maintaining the ceasefire".

He called for "direct coordination between national forces and the state to deliver aid and services and accelerate recovery", rejecting "generalizing the negative image on the Druze community", and emphasizing that they are "a venerable national component that contributed to building the state and was part of the battles for its sovereignty".

Al-Balous concluded his statement by urging the people of Sweida to be "true partners in implementing the ceasefire and protecting civilians, and contributing to the political solution", considering the attacks on "the shrine and tomb of the martyr Sheikh Abu Fahd Wahid Al-Balous" as burning and looting as a "stab at the national and spiritual dignity of the mountain", describing it as "aggressive behavior of barbaric factions that have denied all values".