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All parties in Syria have agreed to pause violence as of 5 pm Damascus time (1400GMT) Sunday, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack announced.
"All parties have navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities," Barrack wrote on X, marking a breakthrough in efforts to end the escalating conflict in Sweida governorate. .
The envoy said containing escalating hostilities requires an agreement to pause violence, protect civilians, allow humanitarian access, and step back from danger.
"The next foundation stone on a path to inclusion, and lasting de-escalation, is a complete exchange of hostages and detainees, the logistics of which are in process," Barrack stated.
The Syrian Council of Tribes and Clans announced on Sunday that any violation of the ceasefire brokered between the Damascus government and mediating countries would receive "harsh retaliation."
"Any violation of the agreement by illegal groups will be met with a harsh response by tribal members," the council stated in a written announcement calling for protection of the ceasefire declared by the Damascus government in coordination with local groups.
Meanwhile, Druze leader Hikmet al-Hijri's group demanded the complete withdrawal of government security forces and tribal fighters from all areas in Sweida.
On July 13, clashes broke out between Bedouin Arab tribes and armed Druze groups in Sweida, southern Syria. Syrian security forces intervening in the conflict were ambushed.
Violence escalated and Israeli airstrikes followed, including on Syrian military positions and infrastructure in Damascus on July 16, targeting the Syrian Presidential Palace, General Staff headquarters, and Defense Ministry. Israel cited the need for protection of Druze communities as a pretext for its attacks.
Most Druze leaders in Syria, however, have publicly rejected any foreign interference and reaffirmed their commitment to a unified Syrian state.
Since July 13, hundreds of armed fighters and civilians have been killed, with estimates suggesting the actual number could be higher. When Syrian forces withdrew from Sweida, Hijri's group began displacing Bedouin families and conducting executions, prompting thousands of tribal fighters to arrive in support of Bedouin Arabs.
The Syrian government redeployed security forces to Sweida on July 19, ensuring the withdrawal of nearly all Bedouin and tribal fighters from the city.
In a separate statement, Barrack called on all parties to immediately lay down arms, stating: "All parties must immediately lay down their weapons, end hostilities, and abandon tribal revenge cycles. Syria is at a very critical juncture where peace and dialogue must prevail, and this must be achieved now."
The US Ambassador to Ankara noted that U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Syria represents a principled step offering the Syrian people a chance to move beyond the unimaginable suffering and oppression they have endured for years.
"The international community has largely united behind the newly established Syrian government and is watching the government's transition from a painful legacy to a hopeful future with cautious optimism," Barrack said. .
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime last December 2024, Israel intensified its air campaign in Syria and declared a buffer zone between the two countries defunct, alongside the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. A new transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January.
Syrian Emergency and Disaster Minister Raid Salih announced that the Syrian government provides services to all Syrian citizens "regardless of their ethnic origins" without discrimination.
"We welcomed civilians walking from Sweida at the crossing point. Allah willing, we are trying to evacuate some families who are still in tent areas," Salih told AA correspondent on Sunday.
However, the Syrian Foreign Ministry warned that blocking humanitarian aid convoys to Sweida would have serious security consequences, noting that groups loyal to Hikmet al-Hijri once again prevented the convoy's entry.
The ministry stated that the deteriorating security situation is a direct result of Israel's open intervention, and the subsequent withdrawal of Syrian security forces eliminated their capacity to maintain order and stability in the region.
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