Damascus: Jordan and Syria discussed efforts to implement a joint Jordanian-Syrian-US roadmap Wednesday aimed at resolving the crisis in southern Syria's Suwayda province.
According to Anadolu Agency, the talks occurred during a visit by Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi to Damascus, where he met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and held extensive discussions with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shaibani. A joint statement noted that the roadmap, adopted on September 16, 2025, by Jordan, Syria, and the US, includes security, humanitarian, service, and judicial measures, as well as community reconciliation and a joint mechanism to monitor implementation, while respecting Syria's territorial unity, state sovereignty, and the rights of all citizens.
US envoy Tom Barrack expressed concern about renewed tensions in Suwayda, urging all parties to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue. He voiced dismay over the escalation in Suwayda via US social media company X, highlighting the trilateral roadmap for peace that sought the dignified reintegration of the province into Syria with full rights and obligations of citizenship for its Druze community. Barrack emphasized that the roadmap remains the only viable solution to prevent further grief and chaos.
The US envoy highlighted the absence of governance in the region, which has allowed gangs to fill the void. He cited the case of Atef Hunaidi, who was arbitrarily detained and displaced from his home, and noted that his team is in contact with Hunaidi and others affected by intracommunal violence.
A ceasefire has been in place in Suwayda since July 2025, following clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters that resulted in hundreds of casualties. Groups affiliated with Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri have been accused of violating the ceasefire, while Damascus has maintained the arrangement and facilitated evacuations and humanitarian aid.
After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, Syrian authorities have been working to restore security and extend state authority across the nation, although several armed groups continue to operate independently.