DAMASCUS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A new ceasefire agreement was reached on Wednesday between the Syrian interim government and Druze community in the southern province of Sweida, aiming to end days of deadly clashes and reintegrate the province under full state control, according to Syria's interior authorities.
According to a statement by the Syrian interior authorities carried by state media SANA, the deal involves a complete ceasefire and the deployment of internal security checkpoints across the city. The province, which has seen intense fighting since Sunday, will now be fully reintegrated into the Syrian state, the statement said.
Sheikh Youssef Jarbouh, the spiritual leader of Syria's Druze community, confirmed the deal in a statement, outlining the agreement's key terms, which include an immediate halt to all military operations, the withdrawal of army units to their barracks, and the formation of a joint monitoring committee composed of state officials and Druze clerics to oversee the ceasefire.
Internal security forces and police personnel from Sweida province will be deployed to key points to enhance stability, Jarbouh said. The agreement also stipulates coordination with the authorities of defense and interior to regulate heavy weaponry and eliminate the presence of unauthorized arms outside state authority.
Jarbouh emphasized that the agreement reaffirms the complete integration of Sweida into the Syrian state, the restoration of all government institutions, and their operation in accordance with Syrian law.
The ceasefire follows four days of violent clashes that left at least 248 people dead, including civilians, military forces, and Bedouin fighters, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The interim government has previously reached a ceasefire agreement with local Druze leaders on Tuesday. Despite the agreement, further ground clashes erupted later in the area, forcing thousands of residents to flee.
The escalation in Sweida began after a young Druze man was assaulted by armed Bedouins near the town of al-Masmiyah, triggering retaliatory attacks and widespread urban conflict. The fighting prompted multiple Israeli airstrikes targeting Syrian military positions in Sweida and Damascus, with Israel citing protection of the Druze community as its rationale. ■
