Syria's new political landscape - UPDATES

[Anthea]

Syria to elect new parliament in August

A committee tasked with electing Syria’s new parliament expects the vote will take place in August, a Kurdish member of the committee told Rudaw on Friday

"We are now at the stage of visiting Syrian provinces where we are holding meetings with activists, sociologists, politicians, and academics from each province as public gatherings. This is to draft the temporary system for electing People's Assembly members as our program continues. We hope these elections will take place at the end of August," said Mohammed Wali.

Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa established an 11-member Higher Committee for the Elections of the People's Assembly on June 2 and instructed it to form provincial committees that will be responsible for electing suitable representatives for the assembly.

The vote will not be open to the public. Wali said 70 percent of the members of the assembly will be experts and intellectuals while the rest will be notables and dignitaries. One third of the members will be directly chosen by Sharaa.

Kurds, who had been deprived of Syrian citizenship for decades, are eligible to become candidates, but people who were granted citizenship after the eruption of the civil war in 2011 are not eligible because of fears that ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad granted citizenship to many Iranian militants, explained Wali.

It remains unclear whether the elections will be held in the Kurdish-held northeast (Rojava). Wali said this is linked to political developments. The Rojava administration is in talks with Damascus about integrating into national institutions.

Following a swift offensive, a coalition of opposition groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - headed by Sharaa - toppled the regime of Assad on December 8. The new Syrian leadership in late January disbanded the army, dissolved the parliament and annulled the constitution.

Sharaa has pledged "free and fair" elections

The interim constitution adopted by Sharaa’s government sets out a five-year transition period that gives the president executive authority and the People’s Assembly control over legislation.

The following is the full transcript of the interview with Wali:

Rudaw: Has the official date of the People's Assembly elections been set?

Mohammed Wali: We are now at the stage of visiting Syrian provinces where we are holding meetings with activists, sociologists, politicians, and academics from each province as public gatherings. This is to draft the temporary system for electing People's Assembly members as our program continues. We hope these elections will take place at the end of August.

Rudaw Will the elections be held on one day across all provinces, or will each district and province hold elections on different days?

Mohammed Wali The People's Assembly elections will take place across all of Syria on one day.

Rudaw Will elections also be held in the Autonomous Administration [Western Kurdistan] areas?

Mohammed Wali Hasaka province, Raqqa province - these are still in our program. We have visited five or six provinces and in the coming days we will go to other provinces. All Syrian provinces, all their people, all their communities, all their components will participate in these elections. In this transitional phase, the electoral system is not direct because of the special situation Syria is going through. There's no possibility for direct elections. As we announced in our meetings with governors, activists, sociologists, and provincial experts, this parliament will be established with two groups: the group of experts and the group of notable community figures. That's why we've set a suitable time frame to try to reach everyone, because this is everyone's right.

Rudaw Will you go to the Autonomous Administration areas?

Mohammed Wali You know there's an agreement between the Syrian state and the SDF [Syrian Democratic Forces]. In the coming weeks, if something emerges, if political progress is made... This matter is being discussed within the Higher Committee for the elections of the People’s Assembly, it's under consultation. We hope our people, our community will have this right and their representation so we can establish a legislative assembly for the new Syria, a Syria that is a state of law, not the Syria that the [Bashar] Assad regime ruled. The state was tied to laws serving the Assad family and gangs. That's why we're working hard in this transitional phase. We're heading toward a lawful state, which is why Syria needs an assembly that enacts laws serving all Syrian people, with all their components and all citizens, where these laws guarantee freedom and dignity for all citizens.

Rudaw If that's not possible - if you can't go to the Autonomous Administration areas or hold elections there - what would be the alternative solution to ensure their representation in this parliament? What is the mechanism?

Mohammed Wali As we recently announced, we went to some provinces and in the coming days we'll go to the remaining provinces. We're preparing the draft of the temporary electoral system. We're gathering opinions from Syrian citizens, activists, politicians, and academics from society, and we're discussing how to ensure this temporary system serves an election that guarantees representation of the Syrian people with all their components in this People's Assembly.

As we announced, political matters will be consulted with the Syrian presidency. We'll see in the coming days. All provincial people have rights that will be guaranteed. Experts or community notables, social dignitaries who become candidates and enter this mechanism we're preparing, who become members of branch committees or electoral candidates - for each province according to statistics, particularly 2010 statistics, each city or area will have members according to conditions and requirements to be included in this system, to be recognized to ensure everyone's representation. Therefore, this system we're looking at is a district-based system. Districts tied to cities... Each province has several areas, each area produces several members of parliament...

Rudaw But Mr. Mohammed, you know and I know that the 2010 census was before the Syrian civil war began. Many changes have occurred in cities, in population numbers, a large portion of people were displaced and became refugees. Will they also have the right to vote?

Mohammed Wali Because we're in this transitional phase, eight million Syrians have become displaced and refugees inside Syria. They are not on their land, not in their civil registry, they're in countries neighboring Syria, scattered around the world. That's why this system is not direct. It was designed so we can properly and clearly have an assembly that represents the Syrian people. The main goal of this assembly is to free Syrians from the laws that the collapsed regime had imposed, that kept the Syrian state backward and served a gang while opposing its own citizens. In this coming assembly, the assembly's duty is to enact laws that serve Syrian citizens and ensure Syria's strength. That's why we announced the People's Assembly will have two groups, according to Syrian presidential decree number 66 that was issued: 70 percent will be the group of social experts and the second group of 30 percent will be community notables or social dignitaries.

Rudaw What are the criteria and requirements for someone to become a member of the People's Assembly?

Mohammed Wali As a start, according to some conditions and requirements we've set based on our visits, the person who becomes an electoral candidate must meet these conditions and requirements. One of these conditions is that they must be a Syrian citizen. It is okay to have a second citizenship because as you know the Syrian regime forced many people to leave the country and seek other citizenship. First, they must be Syrian citizens. Secondly, they must be over 25 years old, they must not have criminal convictions except for security or political convictions, because the collapsed Assad regime convicted millions of people on political or security grounds. The person who becomes a candidate must not be a governor, minister, or their deputies, and must not be members of the Syrian army or security personnel. Their reputation and character in society must be good.

Rudaw Will you consider the condition of Kurds who were deprived of Syrian citizenship for decades, but later obtained it?

Mohammed Wali As I said before, in the committee, we discussed this. The Syrians who were deprived of Syrian citizenship by the Assad regime are eligible to become candidates. Syrians and Kurds who obtained citizenship before May 2011 are eligible to become candidates. The reason we are focusing on that date is that the ousted regime of Assad had granted Iranian and sectarian militias citizenship [after May 2011]. This caused demographic change. Therefore, we at the committee said that people who were citizens of Syria before 2011 can become candidates.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeas ... /280620251

[Anthea]

Damascus Reaffirms Uncompromising Rejection
of Federalism Amid Talks with SDF

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Syrian government has reiterated its firm and unwavering rejection of any form of federalism or partition, even as it welcomed the ongoing process of implementing the agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which it says must serve the unity and territorial integrity of the country

In a statement issued on Wednesday and published by the official SANA news agency, the government in Damascus declared that while it supports efforts to restore national stability through dialogue with the SDF, it remains fully committed to the founding principle of “One Syria, One Army, One Government.”

“The Syrian state renews its absolute and categorical rejection of any form of division or federalism,” the statement read, describing such structures as “contrary to the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic and the unity of its soil.”

Warning Against Delays and External Agendas

The government emphasized that any delay in implementing the signed agreements “does not serve the national interest” and only further complicates the situation on the ground. It warned that reliance on “separatist projects or foreign agendas” is a losing bet, and called instead for full reintegration into the national framework.

“The experience has shown that betting on separatist initiatives or external agendas is a failed wager,” the statement noted, stressing that only a unified national identity and commitment to the Syrian state can lead to a sustainable solution.

Kurdish Component a Vital Part of Syria

The Syrian government also stressed that the Kurdish component remains a historic and integral part of the Syrian nation, and affirmed that the rights of all Syrians are protected “within the institutions of the state—not outside them.”

SDF Integration Must Be Within National Army

While acknowledging the difficulties faced by some factions within the SDF, Damascus stated that the Syrian army remains the sole national military institution, and welcomed the integration of SDF fighters under its command—provided that it occurs within Syria’s constitutional and legal frameworks.

Return of State Institutions to Northeast

The statement called for the return of official government institutions to northeast Syria (Western Kurdistan), including health, education, and administrative bodies, to fill the current governance vacuum and restore public services.

Call for National Unity

In its closing remarks, Damascus extended an appeal to all Syrian national forces to “unify ranks and work jointly under the banner of the homeland,” distancing themselves from narrow factionalism or foreign influence in the pursuit of “a secure, unified, and sovereign Syria.”

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/85 ... s-with-sdf

[Anthea]

Syria presidency to send new
force to halt clashes in south

The Syrian presidency says it will deploy a new force to halt the deadly sectarian clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters in the south of the country

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's office urged "all parties to exercise restraint", amid reports of renewed fighting near the city of Suweida on Friday.

More than 700 people are reported to have been killed since the violence erupted on Sunday. Government troops deployed to the area were accused by residents of killing Druze civilians and carrying out extrajudicial executions.

Israel later struck targets in Syria to force the troops to withdraw from Suweida province. On Friday, the US ambassador to Turkey said that Israel and Syria had agreed a ceasefire.

(Israel enjoys killing people, any people, all people, especially children)

In a post on X, ambassador Tom Barrack said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sharaa "have agreed to a ceasefire" embraced by Syria's neighbours Turkey and Jordan.

"We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbours," the envoy said.

Israel and Syria have not publicly commented on the reported ceasefire agreement.

Shortly before Sharaa's office announced its planned military deployment to the south, an Israeli official said Israel had agreed to allow the limited entry of Syrian Internal Security Forces personnel into Suweida for 48 hours to protect Druze civilians "in light of the ongoing instability".

Suweida's predominantly Druze community follows a secretive, unique faith derived from Shia Islam, and distrusts the current jihadist-led government in Damascus. They are a minority in Syria, as well as in neighbouring Lebanon and Israel.

The BBC's Middle East correspondent Lina Sinjab, reporting from Syria, said violence towards the Druze is spreading across the country.

According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR), 718 people have been killed since the violence erupted.

Earlier this week, the UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, said his office had received credible reports indicating widespread violations and abuses during clashes, including summary executions and arbitrary killings in Suweida.

Among the alleged perpetrators were members of the security forces and individuals affiliated with the interim government, as well as local Druze and Bedouin armed elements, Türk said in a statement.

"This bloodshed and the violence must stop," he warned, adding that "those responsible must be held to account".

The BBC has contacted the Syrian government and security forces about allegations of summary killings and other violations.

In a televised address early on Thursday, Sharaa vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable and promised to make protecting the Druze a "priority".

"We are eager to hold accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people because they are under the protection and responsibility of the state," he said.

He went on to blame "outlaw groups", saying their leaders "rejected dialogue for many months".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0m87d4p9gvo

[Anthea]

Suweida: Druze residents describe
'bloodbath' in Syrian city

'There were bodies everywhere': Druze residents describe 'bloodbath' in Syrian city Suweida

Damascus

Over the last five days, Rima says she has witnessed "barbaric" scenes.

The 45-year-old Druze woman has lived in the southern Syrian city of Suweida her whole life, and never thought her once-peaceful hometown would become the scene of a bloodbath.

"There were bodies everywhere outside our building," she told the BBC in a phone interview, using a pseudonym out of fear for her safety.

Rima said she huddled inside her home, bracing for the unimaginable, as gunmen - government forces and foreign fighters - moved through her neighbourhood earlier this week, going door-to-door looking for their next victim.

"One of the worst feelings ever is to keep waiting for people to come into your house and decide whether we should live or die," she recalled, her voice still trembling with fear.

The violence has left Rima and her neighbours feeling abandoned and afraid in their own homes, as bullets and shells sounded off outside.

Long-running tensions between Druze and Bedouin tribes in Suweida erupted into deadly sectarian clashes on Sunday, following the abduction of a Druze merchant on the highway to the capital, Damascus

As the fighting spread to other parts of the southern province, the government of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa - who led the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime by Islamist-led rebels in December - announced that it would deploy the interior and defence ministry's forces to "restore stability".

Since the fall of Assad, some local Druze leaders have rejected the presence of the security forces in Suweida city. When government forces were deployed on Tuesday, the fighting escalated.

Soon, the government's forces were being accused of attacking both Druze fighters and civilians, which prompted the Israeli military to intervene with a series of air strikes that it said were intended to protect the Druze.

As Rima watched this play out, the lack of internet and power made it difficult to keep up with the unfolding events. All she knew for sure was what she could see from her window: slaughtered bodies and burned buildings.

Syrian state media have also cited authorities and Bedouin tribes as saying that "outlaw groups" carried out "massacres" and other crimes against Bedouin fighters and civilians.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, has said it has documented the killing of at least 594 people since Sunday, including 154 Druze civilians, of whom 83 were summarily killed by government forces, and three members of Bedouin tribes who were summarily killed by Druze fighters.

Syria's interim president said government forces had expelled "outlaw groups" in Suweida

Nayef, a Druze man whose name we have also changed, was also confronted with horrific scenes in Suweida.

"We are collecting bodies from the streets. We found bodies left outside houses, next to houses for two or three days," he told the BBC in a phone interview.

Despite being a government employee, Nayef lashed out in disbelief at what he saw as the government forces' brutality inside the city.

"They stormed neighbourhoods, selecting the houses that look wealthy. They looted these houses and then torched them. They sprayed unarmed civilians with bullets."

Videos on social media appeared to support Nayef's allegations

Footage shared on Facebook on Wednesday afternoon shows at least half-a-dozen men dressed in camouflage firing live rounds at a group of residents, who are kneeling on the sidewalk.

The UN human rights office said it had documented the killing of at least 13 people on Tuesday by armed men affiliated with the government who deliberately opened fire at a family gathering. On the same day, they reportedly summarily executed six men near their homes.

While bullets and shells rained down, Suweida residents were left wondering when help was coming.

But help never came

Rima said she watched as security forces and foreign fighters entered her neighbourhood and later shot her neighbour in front of his mother.

"Is this the army and security forces who were supposed to come and protect us?" she asked. "People's livelihoods were stolen. Those who were killed were young and unarmed."

Other testimony we heard backed up Rima's claim. Those we spoke to said most of the fighters who entered Suweida and attacked civilians appeared to be Islamists.

One woman heard the fighters shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) in her building, calling the Druze "infidels" and "pigs", and saying they were there to kill them.

Some of these fighters posted videos of themselves online humiliating men in Suweida, including cutting or shaving off the moustaches of Druze sheikhs. The moustaches are a symbol of Druze religious identity.

The BBC has approached the Syrian government for official comments on the issue but not so far received a response.

In a televised address early on Thursday, Sharaa vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable and promised to make protecting the Druze a "priority".

"We are eager to hold accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people because they are under the protection and responsibility of the state," he said.

He went on to blame "outlaw groups", saying their leaders "rejected dialogue for many months".

Bedouin families have been displaced by the fighting in Suweida

For many, the promise of protection felt like déjà vu.

It resembled the message the president delivered when government forces and allied Islamist fighters carried out deadly reprisals against civilians from another religious minority, the Alawites, in response to attacks by Assad loyalists in the coastal region in March.

A committee was established to investigate those violations - but is yet to deliver any findings.

The accounts from Nayef and others bore many similarities to what happened on the coast in March.

"There's a total lack of trust with the government," Nayef said. "They are just doing a lip-service. They say nice things about freedoms, documenting violations and accountability, but they are all lies."

Many Suweida residents say this latest episode of sectarian violence will have long-lasting effects.

"If it was not for Israel's bombardment, we wouldn't be able to talk to you today," one woman told the BBC.

However, some were also critical of Israel's airstrikes and its claim that it was acting to protect the Druze.

Nayef said: "Nobody wants Israel. We are patriotic people. We were at the forefront of people to adopt patriotism. Our loyalty and patriotism should not be doubted."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y76e9p1gno

[Anthea]

Ceasefire Collapses in Southern Syria

A fragile ceasefire in Syria’s southern Suwayda governorate collapsed on Sunday, as fierce clashes reignited between local Druze fighters and armed men from Bedouin clans, marking a deadly escalation in a week-long conflict that has left more than 1,000 people dead

According to Al-Yaum TV, heavy fighting resumed in the towns of Ariqa and Shahba in the Sweida countryside, just hours after a tentative calm had taken hold. The renewed violence has placed a recent de-escalation deal in jeopardy and raised fears of a deepening humanitarian crisis in the already volatile region.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) confirmed that clashes involving mortars and medium weapons were ongoing in Ariqa, Rima, Hazm, and Shahba. SOHR said fires caused by shelling had destroyed civilian homes in Ariqa, warning of a looming catastrophe if the violence continues.

Relief efforts have been disrupted, and Syrian security forces reportedly blocked clan access to the governorate by closing key roads, allowing only ambulances through.

The Druze community’s Spiritual Presidency issued a statement calling for an immediate end to the bloodshed and condemning disinformation campaigns and sectarian incitement. “We reiterate that we have no dispute with anyone on any religious or ethnic basis,” the statement read.

“Shame and disgrace upon all who seek to sow sedition and hatred in the minds of the youth.” The leadership also welcomed international humanitarian assistance, emphasizing the urgency of saving lives and alleviating suffering

SOHR’s latest death toll highlights the scale of the carnage. The monitor reported that 336 Druze fighters and 298 Druze civilians were among the dead. It added that 194 of those civilians were allegedly executed by personnel from Syria’s defense and interior ministries. The remaining casualties include Bedouin clan fighters, government forces, and victims of Israeli strikes, according to the Observatory.

Despite ongoing clashes in the countryside, the city of Suwayda remains under the control of local Druze fighters after clan forces withdrew from several areas.

The latest flare-up follows a complex and deadly week in southern Syria involving sectarian rivalries, state repression, and regional military activity, deepening fears that Suwayda’s fragile social fabric may be unraveling under the weight of unchecked violence.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/889752

[Anthea]

Five Kurdish Youths Arrested in
Damascus for Speaking Kurdish

Syrian security forces arrested five Kurdish youths in Damascus on Friday for speaking their native language in public, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported

The incident occurred in the Mezzeh neighborhood, where a General Security officer allegedly confronted the group and asked, “Are you Kurdish?” Upon confirming their identity, an armed unit quickly arrived and detained them.

The five youths, originally from the Afrin region, were taken to an undisclosed location.

According to SOHR, the detainees remain in custody, and no information has been released about their whereabouts or legal status.

The Observatory also reported that the arrests are part of a broader pattern of repression targeting Kurdish residents in the capital.

Since the rise of the new Syrian government, approximately 30 Kurdish youths have reportedly been detained in Damascus alone.

Rights groups and local observers have expressed growing concern over what they describe as systemic discrimination against the Kurdish population, particularly in areas under direct government control.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/889796

[Anthea]

Syria rejects Kurd bid to keep weapons

The Kurds, who control large swathes of the north and east, are negotiating with the central government on the integration of their civil and military institutions into the state

DAMASCUS (AFP) - Syria has rejected Kurdish demands to keep their weapons, a government source said Thursday, as a new round of talks on the Kurds' integration into the state was set to begin.

The Kurds, who control large swathes of the north and east, are negotiating with the central government on the integration of their civil and military institutions into the state.

Those include the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is Kurdish-led.

"Talking about refusing to hand over weapons or maintaining an autonomous military force is completely unacceptable," the source told the state broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya.

According to the source, such a position "contradicts the principles of unifying the national army and the agreement reached last March between Ahmed al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi".

In March, Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi signed a deal to incorporate Kurdish institutions into the Syrian state.

While talks have been held regularly since then, progress has stalled.

Recent unrest in the south, where the new authorities have attempted to subdue the Druze minority, as well as ongoing violence targeting the Alawite community, has deepened Kurdish concerns.

According to the Kurdish news agency Hawar, a planned meeting on Thursday in Paris between Kurdish representatives and a Syrian government delegation was postponed.

During the recent violence in the southern Druze heartland of Sweida -- which left nearly 1,400 dead -- a senior Syrian Kurdish official called on the central government to urgently and comprehensively rethink its approach to minorities.

Damascus, meanwhile, insists on reunifying the country at any cost.

The government source's comments came a day after SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami told al-Yaum TV that disarmament is a "red line".

"No one is surrendering in Syria. Those betting on our capitulation will lose -- the tragic events have made that clear," he added, referring to the communal violence in Sweida.

Reacting to this, the Syrian government source said: "Using the events in Sweida or along the coast to justify refusing to return to the state fold is a manipulation of public opinion".

"A genuine national dialogue cannot happen under the threat of weapons or with backing from foreign powers," the source added.

On Saturday, Abdi, who is backed by Washington, met with US special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack to discuss the southern unrest, according to the US embassy in Syria on X.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/85 ... ent-source

[Anthea]

Syria to Hold Election in September

Syria is preparing to hold its first parliamentary election under the new leadership this September, marking a pivotal step in the country’s post-Assad political transition, officials announced

Mohamed Taha Al-Ahmad, head of Syria’s High Elections Committee, said voting for the new People’s Assembly is scheduled to take place between September 15 and 20.

The election will be the first since President Ahmad Al-Sharaa assumed power following the collapse of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in December, ending over 13 years of civil war.

According to Al-Ahmad, President Al-Sharaa has stressed importance of conducting
the vote across all Syrian governorates, rejecting any form of territorial division

“All Syrians denounce fragmentation,” Al-Ahmad quoted the president as saying.

The number of parliamentary seats will rise from 150 to 210 under the new structure, with 70 of those to be directly appointed by the president.

The move is expected to draw criticism, particularly following Al-Sharaa’s controversial appointments of his brothers, Maher and Hazem, to high-level government posts.

Candidates with ties to past sectarian violence or those accused of supporting separatist movements will be barred from running.

Al-Ahmad made clear that individuals who supported “criminal factions” or promoted “division and sectarianism” would not be eligible.

In an effort to ensure transparency, the government said it will extend invitations to international observers and independent election monitors to oversee the voting process.

The announcement comes amid renewed violence across the country. A government panel investigating a March massacre in the Alawite heartland said it had identified 298 individuals responsible for atrocities that claimed the lives of at least 1,426 members of the religious minority.

Tensions also remain high following recent clashes involving Syria’s Druze population, raising concerns over whether the new administration can maintain control and prevent further sectarian unrest.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/890419

[Anthea]

At least 12 Druze Executed in Suwayda
as Syria Death Toll Nears 1,400

Newly verified video footage has revealed the execution-style killings of 12 unarmed Druze civilians in southern Syria’s Suwayda province, as the civilian death toll from recent violence rises to nearly 1,400.

Human rights groups are demanding international accountability amid what appears to be a deepening humanitarian crisis.

According to Reuters, which reviewed and authenticated three graphic videos, the victims included Moaz Arnous, his brother Baraa Arnous, and their cousin Osama Arnous. The videos, filmed by the perpetrators themselves, show the men being ordered onto a balcony, shot at close range, and their bodies thrown over the railing.

One clip reportedly shows an attacker pausing filming to allow a second gunman to record, capturing one of them shouting, “Let’s go! Throw yourself over,” moments before the executions.

Additional footage cited by Reuters shows further atrocities. In one instance, a 60-year-old well guard, Mounir al-Rajma, was killed after identifying himself as Druze. Another video reportedly shows eight civilians kneeling at a roundabout before being executed in front of onlookers, according to victims’ families and eyewitnesses.

Wave of Killings and Government Involvement

The killings occurred amid a broader outbreak of violence in at least three locations in and around Suwayda throughout July. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a total of 1,386 people have been killed since July 13, including 386 civilians. The watchdog claims that at least 238 of those civilians were summarily executed by personnel from Syria’s Ministries of Defense and Interior.

SOHR also reported a chilling incident on July 15, in which residents of the Al-Badr family guesthouse reportedly offered food and shelter to government forces, only to be found executed hours later. The Observatory called it a deliberate war crime.

Sectarian Fallout and Misinformation

The violence has devastated Druze communities, with numerous homes burned, civilians displaced, and neighborhoods desecrated. Simultaneously, dozens of Bedouin families have been forcibly expelled, fueling rising sectarian tensions.

Following an Israeli airstrike on Syria’s Ministry of Defense earlier this month, unverified claims on social media accused Druze fighters of massacring over 200 Bedouin women and children. However, SOHR’s investigations found only three confirmed Bedouin deaths—a woman, a child, and a man—at the hands of Druze fighters. The group warned of an orchestrated disinformation campaign aimed at inciting sectarian violence.

Disguised Militias and Political Motives

SOHR sources also accused regime-linked militias, including the Sultan Murad Division, of posing as tribal fighters to conceal their involvement in the killings. The Observatory said this is part of a broader Syrian government strategy to manufacture communal conflict and justify an extended military presence in the province.

Global Reactions

The graphic content and volume of civilian deaths have drawn condemnation from rights groups and watchdog organizations. Many are calling for independent investigations, international accountability mechanisms, and urgent humanitarian aid to prevent further escalation.

Suwayda, previously regarded as one of Syria’s quieter regions, has now become the site of one of the deadliest incidents in the country’s recent history, underlining the persistent brutality of Syria’s protracted conflict.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/890621

[Anthea]

Sweida Death Toll Hits 1,653

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented 1,653 deaths in Sweida province since violence erupted on July 13, including 429 people executed in the field by members of Syria’s Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior, the group said

SOHR director Rami Abdulrahman told Kurdistan 24 that among those executed by defense and interior personnel are 38 women, 14 children and elderly individuals, and 20 medical staff at Sweida National Hospital. Twenty other health workers from the Sweida Health Directorate were also killed on July 16 during attacks targeting doctors, nurses, technicians, and support staff.

The total death toll includes 724 civilians from Sweida, 477 members of the Ministry of Defense and Public Security, 15 ministry personnel killed by Israeli airstrikes, three civilians killed in an airstrike on the Ministry of Defense building, two journalists, and three Bedouin tribespeople executed by armed Druze fighters.

Abdulrahman emphasized that the killings occurred amid a deteriorating security situation, with armed attacks on civilians and vital infrastructure straining local healthcare services. SOHR said it remains committed to documenting violations and presenting findings to support efforts to protect civilians and hold perpetrators accountable.

The Sweida massacre highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in southern Syria, where violence has displaced thousands and disrupted essential services, raising international concern over civilian protection and accountability for security forces’ actions.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/891925

[Anthea]

New Syrian Government Extension of Assad Regime

Anti-Kurdish DEM Party Co-chair Tuncer Bakirhan on Thursday criticized the new Syrian government, calling it “an extension of the previous Assad regime” and urging a change in policy toward Syrian Kurds amid ongoing tensions

Speaking on August 14 in response to both the situation in Syria and recent remarks by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan regarding the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Bakirhan warned against threatening the leadership and population of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. “Intimidating the leaders and people of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria is in no one’s interest,” he said.

Bakirhan stressed that with the peace process now underway, Damascus should alter its stance toward the Kurds. “Just like the Kurds of Turkey, the Kurds of Syria are also in favor of peace. How can the Kurdish people in Western Kurdistan trust those who call themselves the Syrian Arab Republic?” he asked.

On Wednesday, August 13, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made statements at a joint press conference following a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, Defense Minister Murhef Abu Qasra, and Intelligence Director Hussein al-Salama, who were on an official visit to Turkey.

Fidan claimed that the SDF was not complying with the agreement reached with Syria on March 10, saying: “The SDF is causing trouble in Syria. They are not integrating into the system and are damaging the positive atmosphere. The SDF is trying to buy time.”

Turkey regards the SDF and its main component, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Efforts to integrate the SDF into Syrian state institutions, as outlined in a March agreement with Damascus, have stalled, raising fears of renewed conflict in the country’s northeast.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/892034

Part of the problem is that when the Syrian Democratic Forces took over Western Kurdistan, it divided the Kurds in Syria who where-ever they were based had always viewed themselves as part of Western Kurdistan.

There are several groups representing Syrian Kurds but the SDF chose to ignore them all, the SDF has NO RIGHT to act on behalf of all Syrian Kurds and until the time that ALL Kurdish groups work together, obviously they cannot be viewed as a single entity

[Anthea]

Sweida Death Toll Rises to 1,677
Including 452 Civilians Executed

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Saturday that 23 additional people from Sweida province, including five women, were executed by members of Syria’s Defense and Interior Ministries and affiliated forces during last month’s deadly unrest

The executions, carried out between July 13 and July 20 before a ceasefire was announced, bring the total number of people executed to 452. Victims included women, children, and medical staff, underscoring the extent of violations committed within just a few days of escalation, according to SOHR.

In its broader tally, SOHR documented 1,677 deaths in Sweida since July 13 as a result of clashes, field executions, and Israeli airstrikes. The casualties include:

- 725 people from Sweida province, most of them Druze civilians, including 167 civilians (21 children and 57 women).

- 477 members of the Defense Ministry and Public Security, among them 40 Bedouin tribesmen and a Lebanese fighter.

- 15 members of the Defense and Interior Ministries killed in Israeli airstrikes.

- 3 individuals, including a woman and two unidentified persons, killed in an Israeli strike on the Defense Ministry building.

- 2 journalists killed during the clashes.

- 452 Druze victims, including 43 women, 14 children, and elderly people, among them 20 medical staff from Sweida National Hospital, executed by Defense and Interior forces.

- 3 Bedouin tribespeople, including a woman and child, executed by Druze gunmen.

SOHR concluded by reaffirming its commitment to document violations targeting civilians and vital sectors in Syria, emphasizing it will continue to uncover the truth and disseminate it to the local and international public, to support efforts to protect civilians and expose the crimes committed against them.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/85 ... s-executed

[Anthea]

Syria Preparing October
Offensive Against SDF

The Syrian military is preparing a large-scale offensive aimed at seizing Raqqa and Deir Ezzor from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) by October, security sources told The National. The plan, they said, hinges on whether the United States will acquiesce

According to the sources, Damascus has assembled a force of 50,000 near the desert city of Palmyra. If the SDF refuses to cede control of its territories, the army intends to advance north to capture the two governorates with support from Arab tribal populations that make up the majority in the region.

Staging grounds for the operation are reportedly being prepared in Rasafah, on the Palmyra–Raqqa road, and in Sukhnah, which connects Palmyra to Deir Ezzor.

In addition, Turkish-backed factions in Aleppo province — now integrated into what sources described as a “new Syrian army” — are expected to move east of the Euphrates River near Tishreen Dam as part of the multipronged assault.

The offensive plan comes after US-sponsored negotiations between Damascus and the SDF failed to yield progress.

Washington, once the main backer of the SDF as its primary ground force against ISIS, is said to be growing frustrated with the group’s refusal to hand meaningful powers to the Syrian government.

This position aligns more closely with Turkey, which has long sought to dismantle the SDF.

Arab tribal fighters, who make up about 30 percent of the SDF’s estimated 70,000 members, are expected to defect once fighting begins, sources claimed.

“They have so many scores to settle with the Kurds,” one source said, referring to what he described as the SDF’s land grabs in Arab-majority areas since 2015, when the US helped establish the force.

Over the past eight years, Turkey has carved out control zones in northern Syria through allied rebel groups, curbing the territorial expansion of the SDF.

The looming operation, if launched, could drastically alter the balance of power in eastern Syria along the Euphrates.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/892232

[Anthea]

Syria to slash zeros from currency
prints new banknotes

Syria prepares to remove two zeros from its currency amid economic collapse, with Goznak to print new notes and a rollout set for December

In an effort to restore public confidence in its severely devalued currency, Syria is preparing to issue new banknotes that will remove two zeros from the pound, according to seven sources familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by Reuters.

In an effort to strengthen the Syrian pound, whose purchasing power has collapsed to record lows following a 14-year conflict, and in a bid to ease transactions and improve monetary stability, Syria's central bank informed private banks in mid-August of its intention to issue a new currency by removing zeros, according to a document seen by Reuters.

According to five commercial bankers, one central bank source, and one Syrian economic official, all of whom spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that has not yet been made public, the central bank later informed them that two zeros would be removed.

According to the commercial bankers who attended the meetings on the currency overhaul, they have been chaired by Central Bank Deputy Governor Mukhlis al-Nazer. Al-Nazer did not answer Reuters' request for comments, and the head of the central bank's Banking Supervision Department, Amal al-Masri, also declined to comment, citing the confidentiality surrounding the matter.

Russian firm to handle printing the new notes

According to two of the bankers and another Syrian source familiar with the matter, Syria had agreed with Russian state-owned money printing firm Goznak to produce the new notes, with the deal finalized when a senior Syrian delegation visited Moscow in late July, according to Reuters. Goznak is the same firm that printed Syrian banknotes for the Assad regime.

According to three of the Syrian bankers, the primary driving force behind the planned currency overhaul is the concern over an estimated 40 trillion pounds circulating outside Syria's formal financial system, which would grant the government better oversight over the cash in circulation by issuing new notes.

In preparation for the formal launch of the new notes on December 8, the first anniversary of Assad's ouster, officials plan an information campaign in the coming weeks, while two commercial bank directors told Reuters that Syria's central bank has instructed lenders to be ready for the rollout by mid-October.

Central bank circulars seen by Reuters asked banks to produce detailed reports on their infrastructure, including the number of cameras, cash counters, and storage capacity, and to run tests ensuring automated systems could handle the new currency.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/Eco ... notes--reu

[Anthea]

Syrian elections to exclude Kurds and Druze

The first Syrian elections since the fall of the regime will not include areas controlled by Kurdish forces in the northeast and Druze in the south due to “security challenges,” the spokesperson for the electoral body said on Saturday

“Out of the Higher Committee for People's Assembly Elections' commitment to fair representation in the People's Assembly for the three Syrian provinces - Suwayda, Hasaka and Raqqa - and given the security challenges these governorates are witnessing, the Supreme Committee has decided to postpone the electoral process in the aforementioned provinces until suitable conditions and a safe environment for conducting them are available,” Nawar Najma told Rudaw.

Most of Hasaka and Raqqa provinces are controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the southern province of Suwayda is controlled by the Druze.

“Their allocated seats remain reserved until elections can be held there as soon as possible,” the spokesperson added.

The legislative elections, set to be held next month, will be the first vote since the new leadership in Damascus took power in December after ousting dictator Bashar al-Assad. People will not directly elect their representatives, instead the process will go through a number of committees.

It will begin with district-level subcommittees formed by the elections committee and selecting members for electoral bodies - approximately 50 members per People's Assembly seat, Najma told Rudaw late last month. "After that, we move to the second stage, the electoral stage, where elections are held within these electoral bodies.”

Two-thirds of parliament members will be elected through this internal process, while the remaining one-third will be appointed directly by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The head of the electoral body said last month that the number of parliamentary seats would rise from 150 to 210, state media reported. The distribution will be based on the 2011 census and would be distributed among Syria’s 14 provinces.

A temporary constitution signed by Sharaa in March mandates the formation of a People’s Assembly to act as an interim parliament until a permanent constitution is finalized and general elections are conducted.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeas ... /230820251