US envoy Barrack urges restraint and dialogue as violence escalates in Syria's Sweida
US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack has called for restraint amid renewed violence in the southern province of Sweida and stressed there was no alternative to talks if the region was to avoid another round of bloodshed. On Monday, at least 10 Syrian state security personnel were injured when forces exchanged fire with an armed Druze group in Sweida. State media reported that the forces were “repelling…
US diplomat Tom Barrack urged for restraint and dialogue as violence intensified in Syria's southern province of Sweida. On Monday, at least 10 state security personnel sustained injuries after clashes erupted between government forces and an armed Druze group. The Syrian state media reported that the forces were "repelling attacks by outlaw groups."
Barrack expressed dismay over the escalation, recalling a trilateral roadmap for peace he signed in 2024 with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. The roadmap aims to reintegrate the province into Syria with full citizenship rights for its Druze community. Barrack also highlighted his team's contact with influential local figure Atef Hunaidi and others impacted by the violence.
Sweida, a majority Druze area, is one of the last regions outside President Assad's control. Earlier this year, Israel conducted airstrikes in Syria, claiming support for the Druze population. This violence has left Sweida isolated from the main Druze population center in Jaramana, Damascus. Syrian security forces have occupied positions around the city and its suburbs since July 2025, when an operation began to quell the unrest.
A UN investigation in March found over 1,700 fatalities, primarily Druze civilians and Bedouin community members. Some Druze factions resisted integration efforts due to the July 2025 violence. Investigations indicated potential war crimes by Syrian security troops, Bedouin fighters, and Druze armed groups. Barrack emphasized the need for cooperation among Druze, Arab tribes, and neighboring nations through tolerance and understanding.
He welcomed the Syrian government's efforts to investigate alleged war crimes and hold perpetrators accountable. "The only path forward is dialogue that delivers accountability, restores security, and paves the way for displaced individuals to return and rebuild what was destroyed," Barrack stated. "This is a critical moment, both regionally and globally.
He called for restraint in actions and earnest communication, warning that the alternative to dialogue is only more mourning."
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