The Syrian interim government led by Ahmad al-Sharaa (al-Julani) and representatives from the predominantly Druze Suwayda province reached an agreement on Tuesday, 11 March, to integrate the province into national institutions. The deal includes the formation of a locally recruited security force, though the governor and police chief will not be appointed from the Suwayda Military Council or any other existing local institutions.
The Suwayda delegation, which included activists, lawyers, residents, spiritual leaders, and participants of the national dialogue conference, raised key demands such as citizenship rights, transitional justice, constitutional implementation, wage increases, and women’s empowerment.
Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze community, dismissed any suggestion of territorial division, emphasising that their initiative remains firmly within the framework of Syrian national unity. “Our project is a national one, and we reject all forms of separatism or foreign intervention,” he said.
The agreement comes after a period of unrest in the Druze-majority suburb of Jaramana in Damascus and Israeli outreach efforts toward Suwayda, which were widely rejected by both the local population and the Suwayda Military Council. The delegation also condemned recent statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling for the complete demilitarisation of southern Syria.
Persistent tensions, including reported human rights violations by pro-Damascus forces and clashes in Suwayda, had complicated the path to this agreement. However, Suwayda representatives view it as a step toward strengthening Syria’s national unity against both internal discord and external pressures.
The agreement marks a significant development in Syria’s political landscape, as the province moves to integrate fully into the interim government’s framework while preserving its local governance and security structures. Observers see this as a crucial test for Syria’s post-conflict transition and the broader national reconciliation process.
