Syria accuses Israel of supporting armed groups in Suwayda — Anadolu Agency

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said in Damascus that Israel allegedly arms and funds armed groups operating outside state control in the southern city of Suwayda. According to him, these groups are carrying out tasks aimed at destabilizing the region.

Statements by the Syrian minister

Al-Shaibani made these accusations at a joint press conference with Sabrina Dallafior, director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. This was reported by Anadolu Agency, citing the Syrian state news agency SANA.

The Syrian foreign minister also claimed that Israel has been seeking to destabilize the country since December 2024, when the regime of Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. He mentioned strikes on infrastructure and the occupation of additional Syrian territories.

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In addition, the Syrian minister accused the Israeli military of forcibly displacing Syrians and carrying out arbitrary detentions. According to him, the fate of dozens of detained Syrian citizens remains unknown.

Call for negotiations

Al-Shaibani called on the international community to stop Israel's actions, which, in his assessment, could plunge the region into chaos. He also advocated a return to the 1974 disengagement agreement, which provides for a UN-monitored buffer zone between Syrian and Israeli forces.

The minister called on Israel to seriously engage in US-mediated negotiations, which, according to him, have been ongoing for a year and a half. In August, Syrian and Israeli delegations met in Jordan under US mediation to discuss ending attacks, detentions and military operations, as well as withdrawing Israeli forces to positions they held before December 2024.