Syria has made no progress on Sweida reintegration plan: UN

A United Nations official warned on Monday that efforts to repair divisions and stabilize southern Syria have stalled nearly a year after deadly sectarian violence in a Druze-majority province shook the country.

A U.N. investigation in March found more than 1,700 people, most civilian members of the Druze religious sect and some members of the Bedouin community, were killed in southern Sweida province in July 2025. It said Syrian government forces, tribal fighters and Druze armed groups may have committed war crimes.

A government-led, internationally backed roadmap launched in September 2025 was intended to restore order and repair relations among Druze factions, Bedouins and the government.

U.N. Deputy Special Envoy for Syria ⁠Claudio Cordone told the Security Council on Monday: “There has been no progress on the implementation of the September 2025 roadmap of confidence-building and reintegration in Sweida.”

Cordone said underlying issues remained unresolved while calls from some Druze for the province to secede have threatened Syria’s unity and territorial integrity. While they make up the vast majority of Sweida's population, the Druze are a minority in Syria as a whole.


Reuters