وزير الداخلية السوري: غياب مؤسسات الدولة وراء أحداث السويداء

The Syrian Interior Minister, Anas Khattab, attributed the ongoing tensions in Sweida and its countryside to the absence of state institutions, particularly military and security ones.

He emphasized in a post on his account on “X” today (Monday) that “there is no solution to this except by imposing security and activating the role of institutions in a way that guarantees civil peace and the return of life to normalcy in all its details.”

The Ministry of Interior announced that more than 30 people have been killed, and about 100 injured in a preliminary count due to armed clashes that erupted between local military groups and tribes in the Al-Muqawwas neighborhood of Sweida city, against the backdrop of accumulated tensions in previous periods.

The “Interior” stated in a statement on the “X” platform today that this dangerous escalation comes in light of the absence of the relevant official institutions, which has led to an exacerbation of the state of chaos, a breakdown of security, and the local community's inability to contain the crisis despite repeated calls for calm. This has resulted in an increase in the number of casualties and a direct threat to civil peace in the region.

It reported that units from its forces, in coordination with the Ministry of Defense, will begin a direct intervention in the area to resolve the conflict, stop the clashes, impose security, and pursue those responsible for the events and refer them to the competent judiciary, ensuring that such tragedies do not recur, restoring stability, and reinforcing the rule of law.

It called on all local parties to cooperate with the internal security forces and to seek calm and restraint, warning that the continuation of this conflict only serves chaos and increases the suffering of civilians. It stressed the importance of hastening the deployment of security forces in the governorate and starting a comprehensive dialogue to address the causes of tension and safeguard the dignity and rights of all components of society in Sweida.

For its part, the Ministry of Defense confirmed that the institutional vacuum that accompanied the outbreak of clashes in Sweida Governorate contributed to the exacerbation of the climate of chaos and the inability of official security or military institutions to intervene, which hindered efforts for calm and restraint, according to the “SANA” agency.

It stated in a statement: “We have begun coordinating with the Ministry of Interior to deploy our specialized military units in the affected areas, provide safe passages for civilians, and swiftly and decisively resolve the clashes. We affirm our soldiers' commitment to protecting civilians in accordance with the law.” It called on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with its forces and the internal security forces and to adhere to restraint, as the continuation of escalation increases the suffering of civilians.

The internal security forces in Daraa Governorate carried out an organized security deployment along the administrative border separating Daraa and Sweida Governorates, in response to the recent security developments that some areas of Sweida Governorate have witnessed, along with the accompanying human and material losses, according to the “SANA” agency.