Syria, Jordan, US agree to form joint working group to support ceasefire in Suwayda

ISTANBUL

Jordan, Syria and the US agreed Tuesday to form a joint working group to support a ceasefire in Suwayda, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The announcement follows a trilateral meeting in Amman between Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shaibani, and US envoy to Damascus, Thomas Barrack.

The participants affirmed that Suwayda and its communities are an integral part of Syria, deserving protection and full civil and political rights in Syria’s rebuilding process.

Both Amman and Washington welcomed Syrian government steps to conduct comprehensive investigations into violations in Suwayda and hold perpetrators accountable, including cooperating with UN agencies.

They also praised Syrian efforts to scale up humanitarian assistance across the region, restore essential services disrupted by the conflict, rehabilitate affected areas, support international contributions to aid displaced residents in returning home, and launch local reconciliation initiatives to foster social peace, the statement said.

Safadi and Barrack reaffirmed the solidarity of their countries with Syria’s security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, calling on the international community to back Syria’s reconstruction on a foundation that respects its unity and the rights of all Syrians.

Following the meeting, all parties agreed to hold another session in the coming weeks to continue discussions and act upon Syria’s request to establish a tripartite working group to assist Syria in consolidating the Suwayda ceasefire and resolving the crisis there, the statement said.

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

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.