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Diplomatic Efforts Underway to Hold Meeting in Amman Between Syrian Government and Sweida Dignitaries Amid International and Regional Support
The Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper reported on Saturday that U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, Thomas Barack, is holding coordinated contacts with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, several Arab foreign ministers, and the Turkish foreign minister in preparation for a meeting in the Jordanian capital, Amman, between representatives of the Syrian government and dignitaries from Sweida province.
According to two sources —one American and one Syrian the meeting, scheduled for the end of next week, enjoys strong regional and international backing to ensure its success, with ongoing efforts to persuade Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri to attend, along with prominent figures from leading local families and influential faction leaders. It remains unclear whether invitations will be extended to Suleiman Abdul Baqi and Laith al-Balous.
The sources indicated that current preparations do not suggest Sheikh al-Hijri’s participation, especially given the absence of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, with official representation limited to Sweida’s Internal Security Chief Ahmad al-Dalati, Daraa’s Public Security Chief Shahir Imran, and Sweida Governor Mustafa al-Bakour.
Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri’s Statements and Positions
In a recorded statement released on Saturday, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri expressed gratitude to the countries that “refused to remain silent and stood by the oppressed” regarding the Sweida issue, specifically thanking Israel and former U.S. President Donald Trump “for their clear stance in supporting minorities and rejecting tyranny,” as he described.
He also conveyed appreciation to “the State of Israel, government and people” for its humanitarian intervention “to limit massacres against the people of Sweida for moral and humanitarian reasons,” as well as to the Gulf Arab states “that clearly rejected the rule of terrorism and supported the cause of our oppressed people,” in addition to “the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria” and its affiliated organizations for their “genuine support” to the people of Sweida.
Sheikh al-Hijri called for an independent international investigation into crimes committed in Sweida, referring the perpetrators to the International Criminal Court, dispatching international monitoring missions to protect civilians, and halting all political and military support to the “terrorist” factions surrounding the province. He also urged the guarantor states to pressure the Syrian government to abide by the ceasefire agreement and to prevent further violations that occurred during its enforcement.
