Sharia chose stability: We refuse division, Druze are an integral part of us

Published: July 17, 2025, 09:48 Updated: July 17, 2025, 09:50

Following clashes between Druze and Arab tribes in Syria , which escalated following Israeli intervention, Syrian security forces began withdrawing from the city of Sweida, the epicenter of the unrest. Interim Government President Ahmed Shara made a televised statement Thursday morning.

Shara, who said they were at “one of the most difficult crossroads,” stated that Syria had two options:

The first is to engage in open war with Israel at the expense of the Druze in Syria and undermine the country's stability. The second is to prioritize national interests by calling on the opinion leaders of the Druze community to exercise common sense. We are not afraid to fight. We have spent our lives defending our people and enduring hardships. But at this juncture, the right thing to do was to make a sensitive decision that would preserve the unity of the country and the well-being of the people.

Stating that Tel Aviv is trying to drag Syria into chaos and disintegration, the Syrian leader said:

"Israel, which has always targeted our stability and sowed the seeds of discord, is now trying to turn our holy lands into a field of endless chaos. By doing so, it aims to shatter the unity of our people and break our strength on the path to reconstruction."

Emphasizing that the state encompasses everyone, Shara stated, “Syria is not a testing ground for foreign conspiracies, nor is it a field for the pursuit of others' ambitions at the expense of the blood of its women and children. The Syrian state belongs to all of us. This state is the honor and dignity of the homeland, and the dream of every Syrian to see their country rise again. We are united under the umbrella of this state, without discrimination, to restore Syria to its former glory.”

Ahmed Shara devoted part of his speech to the Druze community:

These words are for our Druze brothers, who are a true part of this homeland. Syria will never be a ground for division or discord. Protecting your rights and freedoms is one of our priorities. We will not allow any external power to pull you to its side or create divisions within us. Let us remind you that this land is common to us all, and we will not allow any group to destroy this beautiful diversity of Syria.

Shara also touched upon the developments in Suwayda and continued:

All state institutions and cadres intervened decisively to stop the internal conflict between armed groups in Sweida. However, instead of assisting the state, illegal groups emerged that thrived on chaos and discord. These gang leaders, who refused dialogue for months, put their own interests ahead of the nation and committed crimes against civilians.

The Syrian leader, stating that the state has launched a large-scale security deployment, said, "Our Defense and Interior Ministries have launched a large-scale deployment in Sweida to ensure security and de-escalate tensions. Thanks to this operation, illegal groups have been removed from the region. Despite Israeli intervention, stability has been restored."

Shara said that Israel was trying to sabotage stability by targeting civilian and official infrastructures, and that the situation had escalated significantly, but "the brink of disaster was averted thanks to the mediation of the US , Arabs and Turkey ."

Speaking about the government's new security approach in Sweida, Shara said, "Some local groups and Druze opinion leaders were tasked with providing security. This decision was made as a result of our serious assessment of the situation threatening national unity. We could not allow our country to drift away from the recovery process following the devastating war and to be further exposed to the political and economic hardships left by the old regime."

At the end of his speech, Şara emphasized the state's responsibility to protect all citizens and concluded his words as follows:

"We will be held accountable for all human rights violations committed against our Druze brothers. They are under the protection of the state. Law and justice guarantee the rights of everyone, without exception. We will not allow any element that threatens the unity of our country, the security of our people, or the future of our children to undermine our development and recovery process."