Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: Israeli commando forces conduct airdrops in two locations in the Damascus countryside.
Israeli media platform: Israeli army forces carry out a commando operation in the al-Kiswah area of the Damascus countryside.
Syrian media outlets: Israeli helicopters flying at low altitude over Tal Mani in the Damascus countryside.
Israeli media platform: Israeli aircraft bomb Syrian bases simultaneously with tanks entering the southern outskirts of Damascus.
Israeli media: Israeli forces infiltrated the town of Beit Jann south of Damascus, and a new airstrike hit al-Kiswah.
Syrian media: Four Israeli helicopters have touched down in the southern city of Sweida.
UN Security Council member states, excluding the United States, confirm that there is a famine in Gaza.
Syrian media: The Israeli occupation forces launch a series of airstrikes in the western Damascus countryside.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: 51 people martyred in Israeli aggression on Gaza since Wednesday morning.
Saree: Yemen will not abandon its stance in support of Gaza no matter the challenges and repercussions until the blockade imposed on the territory is lifted and the aggression it is facing is halted.

Syria's Druze leaders divided over ceasefire; IOF vow more operations

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 16 Jul 2025 19:02
  • 2 Shares
6 Min Read

The Druze leadership in Syria split over implementing the Sweida truce amid conflicting reports of whether a ceasefire deal was actually reached.

Listen
  • x
  • Druze from Syria protest in the Israeli-occupied Majdal Shams of the occupied Golan Heights, Wednesday, July 16, 2025 (AP)
    Druze from Syria protest in the Israeli-occupied Majdal Shams of the occupied Golan Heights, Wednesday, July 16, 2025 (AP)

The Syrian Interior Ministry confirmed Wednesday that an agreement has been reached to implement a comprehensive ceasefire in the southern province of Sweida, following days of armed clashes and failed truce efforts.

According to a source in the Ministry, cited by the SANA news agency, the ceasefire entails an immediate halt to all military operations and the commitment of all parties to end hostilities. The agreement follows mediation efforts by both state authorities and local Druze leadership.

In a formal statement, the headquarters of the Druze Muslim Community in Syria announced the full cessation of hostilities, with Sheikh Youssef al-Jarbou stating that a joint monitoring committee, comprising representatives of the Syrian state and prominent Druze sheikhs, will oversee the implementation of the truce.

As part of the ceasefire terms, checkpoints will be jointly manned by members of the national security forces and police officers from the state, as well as police affiliates from Sweida. The agreement emphasizes respect for civilian life, the sanctity of private homes, and the protection of public and private property.

Regulation of armament, rights 

The deal also includes a mechanism to regulate heavy weaponry in coordination with the Syrian Ministries of Interior and Defense, aiming to eliminate overt displays of arms and restore full security control to the Syrian state across the province.

In addition, the agreement commits to guaranteeing citizens’ rights in Sweida through laws based on justice and equality among all social groups. Immediate efforts are to be made to restore basic services in the province, including water, electricity, fuel, and healthcare, while the Damascus-Sweida highway will be secured by state forces to ensure safe travel.

Read next: Sweida residents demand state intervention, control over province

The statement also confirmed that the agreement includes the release of detainees and the immediate disclosure of the fate of individuals who went missing during recent unrest.

This comes a day after the Progressive Socialist Party’s media commission in Lebanon revealed it had been engaged in intensive multi-level talks to help bring about a ceasefire in Sweida, warning of further bloodshed if tensions persisted.

Druze leadership split over ceasefire agreement

The Druze community in Syria is characterized by having several spiritual leaders, and while that includes al-Jarbou, it also includes Sheikh Ahmad al-Hijri, as well as Sheikh Hammoud al-Hinnawi. 

Related News

'Israel' carries out new airstrikes, troop airdrops near Damascus

Syria slams Israeli attack on Kiswah as 'brazen sovereignty violation'

As al-Jarbou declared that a ceasefire deal was reached, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri declared that the fight to defend Sweida must continue until the province is fully liberated, rejecting any negotiations or ceasefire agreements with armed factions operating in the area.

In a firm statement issued by the spiritual leadership, Sheikh al-Hijri emphasized that "the continuation of defense and fighting is a national, humanitarian, and moral duty that cannot be compromised." He called on the remnants of what he described as "criminal gangs" to immediately lay down their arms and surrender.

"There is no agreement, negotiation, or mandate granted to the armed gangs that falsely claim to be a government," Sheikh al-Hijri stated, stressing that any attempt to engage with such groups contradicts the unified position of the Druze leadership.

He also warned that "any individual or party that deviates from the unified stance and engages in communication or agreement with these groups will be held accountable without exception or leniency."

Conditions for accepting the agreement

The Men of Dignity movement in Syria’s Sweida governorate declared Thursday that no agreement will be accepted unless it includes the complete withdrawal of all invading forces responsible for what it described as “unprecedented atrocities” and “brutal massacres” against innocent civilians in the province, acts the group says amount to war crimes.

In a strongly worded statement, the group stressed that it would not compromise on the demand for full withdrawal from every village and town that has been overrun.

Following the martyrdom of several of its prominent commanders and fighters during recent battles, the movement affirmed its continued resistance, vowing to “defend until the last fighter capable of carrying a weapon,” unless the occupation forces retreat from all areas they have entered by force.

'Israel' acting 'decisively' in Sweida

The Israeli occupation’s Northern Command chief, Maj.-Gen. Uri Gordin announced on Wednesday that the Israeli occupation forces are escalating their military operations in southern Syria, particularly around the Sweida region, targeting what he described as "Syrian regime positions."

Speaking to Israeli media, Gordin stated that the Israeli occupation forces were acting “decisively” and intend to maintain pressure by increasing both the intensity and frequency of strikes in the area. “We are continuing the attack,” he said, signaling a prolonged military campaign in southern Syria.

These remarks come in the wake of reports from Israeli outlets that the occupation army has made the strategic decision to withdraw its elite 98th Division from northern Gaza and redeploy it to the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. 

Shortly after the statement, SANA's correspondent reported that the Israeli occupation aircraft targeted with two raids the east of the town of Ghabagheb in the northern countryside of Daraa province.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike targeting a military vehicle belonging to Syrian government forces in the city of Sweida earlier in the day.

According to Syrian Observatory sources, several loud explosions were heard in the area, though no confirmed details on casualties or damage have been reported so far.

SDF voices solidarity with Sweida

Meanwhile, the Commander of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, voiced solidarity with the people of Sweida, revealing that he has received urgent appeals from residents requesting the establishment of safe passages and the cessation of attacks on civilians.

Abdi condemned the killing of women and children, as well as the targeting of religious figures, describing such actions as crimes against humanity and violations of Syrian values. "These acts of aggression must end immediately, and those responsible must be held accountable," he stated.

  • Syria
  • Hikmat al-Hijri
  • Israel
  • Sweida
  • Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Druze community

Most Read

Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks (Photo by Mahdi Rtail)

Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks

  • Politics
  • 26 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Pope Leo XIV delivers the Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Pope Leo demands Gaza ceasefire, prisoner exchange deal

Palestinians pray over the bodies of people who were killed in an Israeli military strike, during their funeral outside Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City, Friday, August 22, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel’s' 'double-tap' strike on Gaza hospital must be probed: UN

Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) 2020 Conference, Monday, March 2, 2020 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Politics

Ex-AIPAC-funded lawmakers back bill to halt US weapons to 'Israel'

A boat sails at sea near Nuuk, Greenland, Wednesday, June 18, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Denmark calls in US envoy over covert Trump-linked Greenland influence

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS