In a rare show of diplomatic cooperation, Syria, Jordan, and the United States have unveiled a comprehensive seven-step roadmap aimed at restoring calm and stability to the war-torn southern province of Sweida. The plan, announced on September 16, 2025, comes after months of deadly sectarian violence and international intervention, with key support from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, and the involvement of Israel in the region’s security discussions.
The sweeping initiative, detailed in a joint press conference at Damascus’ Tishreen Palace, brings together Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, and U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack. According to AFP, the roadmap’s primary goals are to preserve calm, ensure stability, and prevent renewed conflict in Sweida—a province that saw at least 169 deaths (and possibly hundreds more, according to some estimates) during violent clashes between Bedouin Arab tribes and Druze armed groups since July 13.
“The Syrian government has laid out a clear roadmap for action... that supports justice and builds trust,” al-Shaibani said, outlining the plan’s seven pillars. These include uninterrupted humanitarian and medical aid, restoration of essential services, deployment of local security forces, compensation for those affected, facilitation of displaced persons’ return, clarification of the fate of the missing, and the launch of a comprehensive reconciliation process. He also vowed that all those responsible for attacks on civilians and property would be held accountable. “All those whose hands are stained with assaults on civilians and their property will answer to the law,” Shaibani declared.
Backing these assurances, the Syrian government pledged to invite an International Independent Investigation Commission to probe the violence and ensure justice. Legal proceedings, officials said, will be initiated against violators of civilian rights and property. Security forces under Syria’s Interior Ministry are set to be stationed along the critical Sweida-Damascus road, while civilian fighters will withdraw from the area—a move designed to reduce the risk of renewed clashes. Trained police, operating under the Amman Agreement framework, will take on local security duties.
Humanitarian and medical deliveries, coordinated through the United Nations and international partners, are to continue, with plans to rebuild damaged villages drawing on contributions from both Amman and Washington. The plan also calls for compensating those affected, facilitating the return of displaced persons, and clarifying the fate of the missing—issues that have haunted Sweida’s residents since the violence erupted.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi stressed that the agreement operates within the framework of Syria’s unity and stability. “We want Syria to stabilize, recover and rebuild after years of destruction and suffering, and to start practical steps toward a brighter future for all Syrians,” Safadi stated, as reported by Reuters. He also made clear that security in southern Syria is “an extension of Jordan’s security and essential for our stability.”
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, representing President Donald Trump and the Secretary of State, acknowledged the enormity of the challenge ahead. “Confidence-building takes inches, centimeters and decades to build and can be lost in an instant. We are going to hit speed bumps or we are going to have bus stops along the way,” Barrack said, according to AFP. He described the roadmap’s steps as “historic,” but warned that setbacks are likely as the process unfolds.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry also welcomed the plan, pledging continued support for efforts that promote peace, security, and stability for all components of Syria. “Türkiye will continue to support efforts that promote peace, security, and stability for all components of Syria, based on the principles of respect for territorial integrity, unity, and sovereignty,” the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement, as reported by Anadolu Agency.
The crisis in Sweida, a Druze-majority province, began with small-scale clashes on July 13, 2025, between Bedouin Arab tribes and Druze armed groups. The violence quickly escalated, drawing in Syrian government forces and tribal fighters from other parts of the country. Israeli intervention further complicated the situation: Israel, citing its own Druze community and security concerns, carried out airstrikes on Syrian government targets, including the Syrian Presidency compound and Defense Ministry, aiming to defend the Druze minority and enforce demands for the demilitarization of southern Syria.
“Syrian forces have withdrawn their heavy weapons from southern Syria,” a Syrian military official told AFP on condition of anonymity. The withdrawal, which began around two months prior to the September announcement, covered areas up to about 10 kilometers outside Damascus. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in August that talks were underway to establish a demilitarized zone in southern Syria—a region where Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948.
Amidst the turmoil, local governance in Sweida has shifted. Since a ceasefire took hold on July 19, 2025, Sweida city has been controlled by local Druze forces, while the rest of the province remains under government troops. In a move to address community concerns, Syrian authorities named Suleiman Abdel Baqi, a Druze local armed group leader, as the new internal security chief for Sweida city.
The roadmap’s unveiling follows a series of earlier meetings hosted by Jordan in July and August, focused on consolidating the fragile ceasefire and seeking a political resolution. The Saudi foreign ministry also welcomed the roadmap, signaling broad regional support for the initiative.
Despite these diplomatic strides, underlying tensions remain. Syrian authorities have faced accusations of siding with the Bedouin and committing abuses against the Druze, while Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri has called for Israeli help and even demanded a separate region for the minority in southern Syria. Syrian and Israeli officials have met several times, with a new meeting scheduled in Baku, Azerbaijan, on September 19, 2025, to further discuss security arrangements and the potential for a demilitarized zone.
Looking ahead, the success of the Sweida plan hinges on the delicate balance of local, regional, and international interests. The roadmap’s promise of justice, reconciliation, and reconstruction offers a glimmer of hope for a region battered by years of conflict, but as U.S. envoy Tom Barrack cautioned, the road to lasting peace will be long and fraught with challenges.
