Syria, US working on security talks with Israel amid Sweida unrest

Syria announced on Tuesday that it is working with the United States to establish “security understandings” with Israel, as part of a broader roadmap to restore calm in the country’s south following weeks of sectarian violence in Sweida province.

The Syrian foreign ministry confirmed that Washington, in consultation with Damascus, will work toward agreements with Israel that address the security concerns of both sides.

A Syrian military official told AFP that heavy weapons had been withdrawn from southern Syria over the past two months, in line with Israeli demands for demilitarisation. The withdrawal reportedly extends up to 10 kilometres outside Damascus.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said his government was engaged in talks on creating a demilitarised zone in the south, an area where Israeli forces have acted militarily since the fall of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December.

The recent turmoil erupted in July when clashes between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin spiralled into wider bloodshed involving government forces and tribal militias.

Israel, citing concerns for its own Druze community and the need to enforce demilitarisation, launched air strikes on Syrian government targets.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the violence killed more than 2,000 people, including 789 Druze civilians allegedly executed by defence and interior ministry forces.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani unveiled a US- and Jordan-supported plan to stabilise Sweida, pledging justice for victims, compensation for the affected, and a process of reconciliation.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said a trilateral mechanism would oversee the plan’s implementation, while US envoy Tom Barrack described the measures as “historic”.

Meanwhile, Syria appointed a Druze figure, Suleiman Abdel Baqi, as Sweida’s new internal security chief in an attempt to restore local trust.

Diplomatic sources said Syrian and Israeli officials have already met several times, with another meeting scheduled in Baku, Azerbaijan, later this week.

Last month, Syrian media reported that Minister Shaibani met Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in Paris to discuss de-escalation.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa recently stated that negotiations were aimed at reaching a security deal that would see Israel withdraw from areas it occupied in recent months.