ISTANBUL

The Syrian presidency urged restraint Friday amid escalating violence in the southern Suwayda region and pledged to deploy specialized forces to intervene and restore order.

The presidency said in a statement it “followed with deep concern and profound sorrow the violent events that have occurred and continue to unfold in southern Syria.”

“These events resulted from the expansion of illegal armed groups that have used weapons as a means to impose their will, directly endangering the lives of civilians, including children, women, and the elderly,” it added.

In light of these developments, the statement stressed that the country “calls on all parties to exercise self-restraint and prioritize reason.”

Syria emphasized that its stance on the events in the governorate is based on “a firm principle: a commitment to civil peace rather than a logic of revenge. It does not respond to chaos with chaos but protects the law with the law and responds to aggression with justice, not vengeance.”

The competent authorities are working to send a specialized force to end the conflict, alongside political and security measures aimed at stabilizing the situation and ensuring a return to calm in the governorate as soon as possible, according to the statement.

The presidency affirmed that “the attack on peaceful families, the terrorizing of children, and the violation of people’s dignity within their homes is condemned and rejected by all moral, legal, and humanitarian standards and will not be accepted under any pretext or justification.”

It said that “respecting civilians and ensuring their safety is a national duty beyond debate, and any violation of these values is a stab at the core of society and a threat to the unity of the country.”

The presidency added that “the Syrian Arab Republic proves, time and again, that it is a state for all its citizens, regardless of their different affiliations and components — including the Druze sect and Bedouin tribes alike — and not for any particular sect or group.”

It stressed that “national responsibility requires that everyone be under one roof, the homeland, and under one authority, the law.”

The presidency also urged “all citizens, especially the wise and responsible, to unite to overcome this ordeal, reject calls for escalation, and work together to protect the diverse social fabric that has characterized Syria over the centuries.”

​​​​​​​Clashes are still ongoing in the western and northern parts of the province between Bedouin tribal forces and local armed Druze groups.

The fighting began Sunday as limited skirmishes between both sides, prompting Syrian regime forces to intervene. Dozens of soldiers were killed in retaliatory attacks by armed Druze factions.

After the escalation between regime forces and Druze groups, a ceasefire was brokered but quickly collapsed.

Israel, under the pretext of protecting Druze communities, intensified its attacks across Syria, launching airstrikes on four provinces, including strikes on the General Staff headquarters and presidential palace in Damascus on Wednesday.