Syria launches operation to secure return of detainees in Suwayda

ISTANBUL

Syrian security forces launched an operation Thursday to secure the return of detainees held by outlaw groups in Suwayda province in southern Syria, media reported.

Al-Ikhbariya TV said that Internal Security Forces, working with military police, secured the arrival of 61 detainees from Suwayda at the Matouneh checkpoint in the northern countryside of the province in preparation for a detainee exchange.

The channel said 25 people held by armed groups in Suwayda also arrived at the Matouneh crossing in the province’s northern countryside.

"We succeeded in an exchange operation that brought joy to 86 Syrian families,” Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba told the channel.

He said the Interior Ministry made “significant efforts” to carry out the exchange, particularly the internal security leadership in Suwayda.

"We succeeded in freeing 25 Syrian citizens who had been abducted by outlaw groups, while 61 detainees were released by the Syrian state," he said.

He said the move was part of “the Amman agreement, which calls for steps to calm the situation in Suwayda and restore a peaceful political solution within the scope of Syrian national unity.”

Baba said outlaw groups still refuse to disclose the status of abductees and missing persons in their custody. He, however, stressed that international efforts are underway to determine their fate.

The exchange took place with mediation by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and in the presence of representatives from Suwayda province and officials from the Interior Ministry, the channel added.

A heavy deployment of internal security forces and military police was reported along the Damascus-Suwayda highway to secure the exchange.

Suwayda has observed a ceasefire since July 2025 following armed clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze groups that left hundreds dead and wounded.

However, groups affiliated with Hikmat al-Hijri, one of the province’s Druze clerics, have repeatedly violated the truce and targeted military positions, despite the government’s commitment to the agreement, facilitation of evacuation operations for those wishing to leave and the entry of humanitarian aid.

Since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime on Dec. 8, 2024, the government has sought to impose security across Syria, while some groups have continued to trigger unrest and bear arms. Damascus has stressed its determination to assert control over the entire country.

*Writing by Lina Altawell