Sweida

Syrian Druze leader Hikmat al-Hijri proposed Sweida province's integration into Israel while emphasizing autonomy preservation. He highlighted Israel's support amid ongoing sectarian violence in Syria following Bashar al-Assad's overthrow. Recent conflicts, including attacks in Sweida and Latakia, have intensified fears of reprisals under new President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Nusra Front leader.

Syrian authorities have begun trying suspects involved in a 2025 wave of violence in Sweida province, which saw clashes between Druze factions and Bedouin fighters resulting in over 2,000 deaths. Trials in Damascus aim to hold accountable those responsible for the violence, with public sessions starting in July.

Syria has begun trials related to deadly 2025 violence in the Druze heartland of Sweida. Government intervention in favor of Bedouin tribes clashing with Druze triggered Israeli strikes, with suspects including staff from defense and interior ministries.

Syria's captagon trade has shifted to Sweida province following Bashar al-Assad's fall, with the region becoming a major drug trafficking hub due to weak state control and Israeli support for local armed factions. Trafficking attempts from Sweida to Jordan surged by 325% after the Druze-led National Guard took control of the province.