The Syrian government is quietly pursuing steps aimed at easing tensions in the predominantly Sweida province after months of unrest and demands for greater autonomy.
A senior local source in Sweida told Asharq Al-Awsat that Damascus has appointed Brig. Gen. Hossam al-Tahan as the new head of internal security in the province, replacing Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Dalati, who was transferred to Damascus countryside.
The move came shortly after authorities reopened the Damascus-Sweida highway, which had been closed due to security concerns. “These are messages from the state that it wants to improve the situation here,” the source said, noting the measures have brought “some relief and hope” to residents.
However, the source stressed that deeper steps are required to restore confidence, including releasing abductees, rebuilding damaged homes, enabling displaced families to return, and providing security guarantees.
“Such actions would be real gestures of goodwill from the state and help rebuild trust between the government and society,” the source added.
Observers say Damascus is handling the Sweida file with caution, seeking a settlement without escalation.
The province has seen heightened tension since violent clashes in July left hundreds dead, including civilians, Druze fighters, Bedouin tribesmen, and government forces.
The violence prompted Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, one of the Druze community’s top religious figures, to sharpen his criticism of Damascus.
Al-Hijri has long voiced secessionist rhetoric, thanking Israel for supporting Syria’s Druze. In late August, he escalated further, calling not just for Sweida’s independence but for the “independence of southern Syria.”
He has established parallel structures, including a so-called “National Guard,” a “High Legal Committee,” and local administration committees. In early August, he also announced a new executive council for the province.
Yet, according to the local source, these initiatives have yielded little change. “The situation remains the same,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat, predicting infighting among the disparate factions folded into the National Guard, which he argued is led by figures with poor reputations. The leadership includes al-Hijri’s son, Salman, alongside groups described as “criminal gangs.”
On Monday, National Guard commander Firas Hamayel was killed in Sweida. According to the source, he died during clashes while attempting to seize the former home of ex-minister Mansour Azzam in Dahr al-Jabal.
Hamayel’s brother is a leader in the exiled “Syrian Brigade Party,” which advocates Sweida’s secession; its armed wing has also joined the National Guard.
“The secession project is doomed from the start,” the source said, dismissing al-Hijri’s promises of breakthroughs, including reopening an international crossing. “Nothing has materialized, and people are growing frustrated.”
