ALBAWABA- Syria, Jordan, and the United States announced a joint roadmap to stabilize the southern province of Suwayda, marking what officials called a “historic step toward reconciliation and stability.”
The deal, unveiled after high-level talks in Damascus with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, and US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack, aims to end months of sectarian bloodshed between Druze and Bedouin groups, exacerbated by Israeli airstrikes and years of instability following Assad’s ouster in 2024.
The plan underscores Syria’s sovereignty and unity, while addressing humanitarian needs, accountability, and long-term reconstruction.
The roadmap, approved September 16, outlines sequenced steps: holding perpetrators accountable through UN-backed investigations, ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian aid, compensating victims and displaced families, restoring basic services such as water and electricity, deploying Syrian Interior Ministry forces to secure key roads, and launching an inclusive reconciliation process involving Druze, Bedouin, and other community leaders.
It also includes provisions for prisoner exchanges and clarifying the fate of missing persons, while emphasizing social justice and civil peace over sectarian divides.
Safadi affirmed Jordan’s support for Syria’s “security, stability, sovereignty, and unity,” stressing that “the security of southern Syria is an extension of our security.”
Shaibani described the roadmap as a Syrian-led initiative backed by regional partners to heal “wounds that have yet to be healed” and rebuild trust across communities.
Barrack hailed the plan as a breakthrough, saying, “Today, hope is being built and tolerance restored.”
The agreement comes after deadly July clashes in Suwayda left more than 1,400 people dead and thousands displaced, triggering a US-brokered ceasefire and follow-up meetings in Amman in August.
It also reflects Jordanian and US commitment to Syria’s transitional government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, while addressing Israeli security concerns over Druze populations along the border.
Initial aid deliveries and deployments are already underway, though some local factions fear the roadmap may sideline autonomy demands in the province. For now, the deal represents a cautious but significant step toward de-escalation in one of Syria’s most volatile regions.
