The Sweida Agreement: Breaking the siege and rejecting weapons in exchange for stability.

The spiritual leadership of the unified Druze Muslims in Syria, in an official statement, affirmed its commitment to the outcomes of the recent meeting attended by the three spiritual leaders, several dignitaries, and faction leaders in Suwayda. They emphasized the need to activate the internal security forces exclusively from the province's residents, as well as activating the judicial police from the same cadre immediately. They also stressed the lifting of the siege on Suwayda, Jaramana, Sahneh, and Ashrafiyat Sahneh areas, restoring life to normal, in addition to securing the Damascus-Suwayda road under the authority's responsibility. The spiritual leadership considered any declaration exceeding or contradicting these points as a unilateral declaration that does not represent local consensus. At the same time, no decision was made during the meeting regarding disarmament, with attendees confirming that weapons symbolize dignity and self-defense for them. On the other hand, the Governor of Suwayda, Dr. Mustafa Al-Bakour, announced that the agreement is still valid, with slight modifications made in response to some parties to expedite the return of stability, affirming that the Syrian state continues its efforts to resolve issues in the province. He added that activating security will be exclusively through relying on former police personnel from the province, emphasizing that no security element involved in previous Syrian bloodshed will be allowed to return. He also pointed out that the Ministry of Interior will be authorized to accept or reject any new recruits. The Governor categorically rejected any external interference, stating that the people of Suwayda reject Israeli intervention, and that solutions can only come from within Syria. Simultaneously, 12 fuel tankers were brought into the province under the Governor's direction, despite security difficulties, to meet the needs of the residents and support the continuity of vital services. The Governor clarified that coordination is ongoing with all local authorities to maintain security and control loose weapons in tension areas. In a related context, media sources reported the entry of around 270 Syrian Druze citizens into Lebanon within two days from Suwayda, Jaramana, and Sahneh areas, amid anticipation of the security and political situation in southern Syria.