Damascus (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated that the effort to unify the nation after years of civil unrest “should not be with blood.” He rejected the idea of partition and accused Israel of interfering in the southern region.
As reported, his statements, released by state TV on Sunday, came as hundreds protested in south Syria’s Sweida region, condemning sectarian violence last month and calling for the right to self-determination for the Druze-majority area.
What did President Sharaa say about Syria’s unity?
“We still have another battle ahead of us to unify Syria, and it should not be with blood and military force… it should be through some kind of understanding because Syria is tired of war,”
Sharaa spoke during a dialogue session with notable figures from northwest Idlib province and other high-ranking officials.
“I do not see Syria as at risk of division. Some people desire a process of dividing Syria and trying to establish cantons… this matter is impossible,”
he said, according to a recording of the meeting that was distributed overnight by the state media.
“Some parties seek to gain power through regional power, Israel or others. This is also extremely difficult and cannot be implemented,”
he stated.
Why are protests erupting in Sweida’s Druze-majority region?
At the Sweida protest, demonstrators waved the Israeli flag and demanded self-determination for the region. Demonstrators also chanted slogans demanding complete independence for Sweida, and not just federal or autonomous rule. They rejected the current interim Syrian government in Damascus and accused it of favouring their opponents and engaging in abuses.
How did Sharaa dismiss fears of Syria’s partition?
The Syrian president said that Sweida
“witnessed many violations from all sides… some members of the security forces and army in Syria also carried out some violations”.
The state is mandated “to hold all perpetrators of violations to account”, whatever their affiliation, he also said.
What accusations did Sharaa make about Israel’s involvement?
“Israel is intervening directly in Sweida, seeking to implement policies aimed at weakening the state in general or finding excuses to interfere in ongoing policies in the southern region,”
Sharaa expressed.
“We are now discussing the mechanisms for implementation”
of the deal, he said.
What triggered the deadly July clashes in Sweida?
Violence broke out in Sweida the week of 13 July 2025, when fighting began between Druze militia and Sunni Bedouin tribes that had been fostered for several months by tit-for-tat kidnappings, which quickly spiralled out of control and included Syrian government participation.
After some months of escalating tensions between competing groups, the congeneric clashes exploded into sustained armed engagements that included mortars and heavy weapons. Civilian life was upended as violence spread through the region, including looting, mass home burnings, and extrajudicial killings from both factions.
Syrian officials claimed their interventions by government forces were intended to end the violence. As conflict escalated, the Syrian Government committed units from the interior ministry, as well as imposed curfews to impose some quiet in the town and the surrounding region.
Why did Israel launch airstrikes during the Sweida clashes?
In reaction, Israel conducted air strikes during the fighting against Syrian government forces and allied Bedouin fighters in defence of the Druze community. The Syrian government denounced the Israeli air strikes as efforts to inflame sectarian tensions and delegitimise the new Syrian government.
Israel, home to its own Druze community, stated that it has taken action to protect this minority and to enforce its calls for the demilitarisation of southern Syria.
