UPDATE - Syria vows full accountability for Suwayda violence, pledges UN cooperation, US envoy says

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS, ADDS DECK

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) – Syria has pledged to hold accountable all perpetrators of the recent violence in the southern city of Suwayda and to fully cooperate with the UN in investigating the violations, US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack said Tuesday.

In a post on his official X account, Barrack said the Syrian government remains “steadfastly committed to a united process that honors and protects all its constituencies, fostering a shared future for the Syrian people despite intervening forces seeking to disrupt and displace its communities.”

He emphasized that delivering justice and ending impunity are “paramount to achieving lasting peace.”

The envoy’s statement followed trilateral talks in Amman with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, where the three officials met and agreed to form a joint working group to support a ceasefire in Suwayda.

Tuesday’s meeting was the second in less than a month, following an initial session hosted by Jordan on July 19.

“The Syrian government has pledged to utilize all resources to hold perpetrators of the Suwayda atrocities accountable, ensuring no one escapes justice for violations against its citizens,” Barrack said.

He added that Damascus “will fully cooperate with the UN to investigate these violations, including the horrific violence at Suwayda National Hospital.”

Shaibani, for his part, affirmed Syria’s commitment “to holding accountable anyone who has committed violations by any party, because accountability is the best path to the rule of law and justice.”

In a series of posts on X, he stressed to protect the people in Suwayda from all communities - Druze, Bedouin and Christians – and emphasized the need to confront any sectarian or inflammatory rhetoric.

He described the Druze as “an integral part of Syria, have their historical and national status,” rejecting “any attempt to put them in the equation of exclusion or marginalization under any pretext or circumstance.”

The Syrian government is ready “to continue sending aid to our people in Suwayda, supporting initiatives aimed at restoring services, promoting reconciliation, and bridging the gap with the state,” Shaibani said.

Suwayda has observed a ceasefire since July 19 following a week of armed clashes between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes and Israeli military attacks.

Syria’s transitional administration, formed after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, is working to restore stability across the country after nearly 25 years of authoritarian rule.