Syrian Defense: Deployment of Specialized Units in Sweida and Securing Safe Corridors to Calm the Clashes

SadaNews - The Syrian Ministry of Defense announced that it has begun coordinating with the Ministry of Interior to deploy its military specialized units in the affected areas in Sweida and to provide safe corridors for civilians and to quickly and decisively resolve the clashes.

 

In a statement issued shortly ago, the Syrian Ministry of Defense expressed that it "has been closely following with great sadness and concern the bloody developments that have occurred in Sweida Governorate over the past two days, which resulted in more than thirty deaths and around one hundred injuries in several neighborhoods and towns".

It added that "the institutional vacuum that accompanied the outbreak of these clashes contributed to exacerbating the climate of chaos and the inability of official security or military institutions to intervene, which hindered efforts for de-escalation and restraint".

The Syrian Ministry of Defense confirmed that it "has begun coordinating with the Ministry of Interior to deploy its specialized military units in the affected areas, to provide safe corridors for civilians, and to quickly and decisively resolve the clashes, asserting its soldiers' commitment to protecting civilians according to the law".

The Ministry of Defense urged all parties in Sweida to cooperate with our forces and internal security forces, and to adhere to restraint, considering that "the continuation of the escalation increases the suffering of civilians".

The ministry confirmed that "restoring security and stability in Sweida is a shared responsibility between the state and its citizens", emphasizing "full readiness to support any initiative aimed at promoting civil peace and nurturing the spirit of citizenship and building a secure future that befits everyone's dignity".

The Syrian Ministry of Defense recommended "those working to resolve the conflict to fully adhere to their assigned duties to protect civilians, stop the clashes, and prevent any new violations".

Later, a source in the Syrian Ministry of Defense reported the death and injury of several Syrian army forces during their "deployment to stop the clashes and protect civilians in Sweida after being targeted by groups outside the law".

The source did not specify the number of casualties among the army personnel.

Fierce clashes erupted yesterday, Sunday, between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes after a robbery incident on the Damascus-Sweida road, followed by a series of mutual kidnappings between the two sides and clashes that led to the cutting of the Damascus-Sweida international road and widespread power outages in the governorate.

The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced in a statement on Monday that it would begin coordinating with the Ministry of Defense for a direct intervention in Sweida Governorate, southern Syria, to resolve the conflict, stop the clashes, and enforce security, stressing that security forces would work on restoring stability and protecting citizens.

Local Syrian media reported that kidnapped individuals from the tribes and members of the Druze community were released early today.

The "Sweida 24" network stated that kidnapped individuals from the tribes were released, as well as individuals from the Druze community from the Al-Maqous neighborhood, who reached the home of Sheikh Aql of the Druze, Yusuf Jarba, while efforts and mediations to halt the tensions continue.

The Syrian Observatory reported that the violent clashes in several villages have led as of this morning to the death of 37 individuals in total from both sides (27 from the Druze including two children and 10 from the Bedouins) and injuries to about 50 to 90 others.

Source: SANA + RT