Druze leader demands Syrian troop pullout from Suwayda
Shafaq News – Suwayda
On Sunday, the prominent Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri demanded the full withdrawal of Syrian government forces from Suwayda province following days of deadly clashes.
In a statement, al-Hijri called for an immediate halt to military operations and urged authorities to restore internet and telecommunications services and prepare for the release and exchange of detainees under the supervision of the international sponsors of the ceasefire agreement.
“We appeal to our sons across Suwayda to cooperate and act with the utmost sense of responsibility to ensure the success of this process,” the statement read, setting a 6:00 p.m. deadline for the exchange to begin in the village square of Umm al-Zaytoun.
In response to widespread claims of deliberate blackouts, the Syrian Ministry of Energy denied reports that it had intentionally disrupted electricity and water services in the province. Ahmad al-Suleiman, the ministry’s Director of Government Communications, said the recent outages were caused by factors beyond the ministry’s control, citing Israeli strikes on infrastructure and sabotage operations by “unlawful groups.”
Al-Suleiman added that technical teams had already begun repairing damaged power lines.
Meanwhile, the US envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, affirmed in a post on X that as of 17:00 Damascus time, all parties have navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities.
Escalating hostilities can only be contained with an agreement to pause violence, protect the innocent, allow humanitarian access, and step back from danger. As of 17:00 Damascus time, all parties have navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities. The next foundation stone…
— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) July 20, 2025
