Syrian Interior Ministry officials said Tuesday that the country’s Internal Security Forces, in coordination with the Ministry of Defense, successfully cleared armed groups from the center of Suwayda, restoring order and stability to the southern city.
According to a ministry statement, the joint operation “secured the city and expelled outlaw groups” that had been operating in the area.
Suwayda, a majority-Druze city, has witnessed intermittent unrest in recent months amid economic hardship and frustration over security conditions.
The statement said the mission aimed to “restore stability and protect citizens,” though no further details were provided about casualties or the identity of the groups involved.
Syrian government forces entered the battle-hit province of Suwayda on Tuesday, followed by an announcement of a complete cease-fire by the country's defense minister.
The Syrian government has repeatedly blamed foreign-backed elements for fomenting unrest, while emphasizing the importance of state institutions in maintaining unity and order.
Meanwhile, a war monitor said at least 203 people have been killed in southern Syria's Suwayda province.
The dead include 92 members of the Druze minority, 21 of them civilians, as well as 93 security personnel and 18 Bedouin, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
