In a major shift, Syria's President Ahmed al Sharaa has announced that local leaders and community elders in Sweida will now be in charge of security in the city.
What's new here
The development comes after days of intense fighting between Druze militias and Bedouin tribal groups left at least 30 people dead and nearly 100 injured, according to the Syrian interior ministry.
In a televised address on Thursday, Sharaa said the decision was made "based on the supreme national interest" and emphasised that the state is still responsible for protecting the Druze people, describing them as "a fundamental part of the fabric of this nation".
Meanwhile, Syria's army has pulled back from Sweida, and a ceasefire involving local militias has been agreed upon.
The United States confirmed that all sides have committed to specific steps to ease the situation — though details remain vague.
Why is it significant
This marks a rare moment where Damascus is officially handing over security responsibilities to local actors, a move that signals both trust in community-led governance and a need to avoid deeper conflict, in what many Syria watchers are calling a diplomatic balancing act.
The announcement came just hours after Israeli air strikes targeted southern Syria, including an attack on a Syrian army base and even near the presidential palace.
At least three people were killed and 34 others injured in these strikes, according to Syrian officials.
While Israel claimed it acted to protect the region's Druze community, whose members also live in Israel, Syrian officials say the strikes are part of a broader strategy to destabilise the country, just coming back onto its feet after years of civil war.
Walid Joumblatt, a Druze leader and former president of Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party, also reportedly accused Israel of using some Druze figures to stir unrest in Syria under the guise of protecting the community.
Despite rising tensions, Sharaa praised the mediation efforts by the US, Arab states and Türkiye, saying their intervention prevented the violence from spiralling into a full-blown regional conflict.
He accused Israel of trying to turn Syria into "an arena of endless chaos", but credited outside mediators and Syria's own efforts for pushing back against that goal.
Brief backgrounder
Sweida, a predominantly Druze city in southern Syria, with local militias managing their own affairs during and after the civil war, which ended with the overthrow of the Bashar al Assad regime in December 2024.
Tensions recently flared after members of the Bedouin tribe in Sweida reportedly set up a checkpoint, assaulted a Druze individual, and stole from him.
The incident sparked a cycle of retaliatory violence and abductions between the two communities.
Although government forces were sent to stabilise the region, sporadic clashes continued.
The decision of the Syrian national force to step back and allow community elders and local factions to take the lead in policing the city appears to be a calculated effort to de-escalate.
Sharaa also used his speech to signal a forward-thinking approach, focusing more on "national unity" and rebuilding.
He said Syria's priority is to recover from years of civil war and economic collapse, not to get dragged into new conflicts, especially under pressure from foreign powers like Israel.
What happens next
The truce in Sweida is fragile but appears to be holding.
According to Syria's interior ministry, the new agreement includes the full reintegration of Sweida into state control, through local intermediaries.
Religious elders and prominent Druze figures will be tasked with keeping the peace and managing security.
Washington, which has been trying to re-engage with Syria diplomatically, called the agreement a "breakthrough", with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying all parties had "agreed on specific steps" to de-escalate.
Though he didn't reveal what those steps are, he made it clear the US expects all sides to honour their commitments.
