Fighting resumes despite comprehensive ceasefire in Syria
Despite the announcement of a comprehensive ceasefire, fighting resumed in the western part of Syria's Sweida province on July 19 with fierce gun battles after a brief period of calm.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fragile ceasefire had been broken by fresh fighting between Druze armed groups and Bedouin tribal fighters.
The information was released in the context of a source from Syrian authorities confirming that the forces of the country's interim government began deploying in Sweida province on July 19 to implement the first phase of the comprehensive ceasefire agreement. This phase includes separating rival armed groups in Sweida province to restore stability, release those detained and evacuate hostages.
A government emergency committee has also been established to expedite the delivery of urgent medical and humanitarian aid, the restoration of basic services and the repair of infrastructure, which are also key issues in Phase 2 of the ceasefire agreement.
Once the situation stabilizes, Phase 3 will see a gradual and organized redeployment of state agencies and internal security forces across Sweida province, based on previous agreements to ensure law enforcement under state control.
The ceasefire comes after six days of fierce religious clashes in the southern Syrian province of Sweida that have left some 940 people dead and raised fears of a wider escalation in the region.
* Also on July 19, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani, his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi, and US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack met in Amman, Jordan, on July 19 to discuss measures to support the implementation of the new ceasefire in Sweida province, as well as the security situation in the Middle Eastern country.
Safadi and Barrack expressed their strong support for the new ceasefire agreement and the efforts of the Syrian interim government to implement it, and reaffirmed their commitment to Syria's sovereignty, unity and stability, a statement from the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said.
The three sides also agreed on key steps to sustain the ceasefire, including deploying Syrian forces in Sweida, releasing detainees, promoting reconciliation and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid.
For his part, Foreign Minister Al-Shaibani appreciated the role of Jordan and the US in ensuring the ceasefire and supporting stability in Syria.
On the same day, the French Foreign Ministry issued a statement welcoming the ceasefire in Sweida province and calling on all parties involved to respect the agreement. In addition, Paris also called for an “immediate end to the fighting and violence” in Sweida.