A United Nations official has warned that efforts to stabilise southern Syria remain stalled nearly a year after deadly sectarian violence in Sweida province, with tensions between Druze factions, Bedouin communities and state authorities still unresolved.
A UN investigation earlier found more than 1,700 people were killed in the July 2025 violence in the Druze-majority province, with government forces, tribal fighters and Druze armed groups all potentially responsible for war crimes.
UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone told the UN Security Council that there has been “no progress” on a September 2025 roadmap aimed at restoring stability and rebuilding trust in Sweida.
The plan was designed to support confidence-building measures and reintegration efforts following the unrest, but Cordone said key issues remain unresolved, with ongoing kidnappings and factional rivalries continuing to undermine security.
The UN also said around 13,500 students in Sweida were unable to sit national examinations this month after mediation efforts failed to resolve disputes over security and exam locations. Many students have now missed exams for two consecutive years.
Cordone warned that the situation reflects deeper governance challenges in Syria’s transitional phase, including delays in forming a transitional parliament and ongoing disputes over political representation.
Syria’s transitional authorities, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, have yet to fully implement post-election arrangements, including appointing a third of the transitional parliament.
Cordone told the council the delay is “generating anxiety” as competing local actors continue to challenge state authority in Sweida.
Syrian officials maintain they are committed to restoring services and stability, while Druze leaders accuse Damascus of failing to rebuild trust following last year’s violence.
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European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence and energy high on the agenda. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held talks focused on peace, trade and regional cooperation.
Iran’s Assembly of Experts has backed withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and overhauling the country’s defence doctrine, calling both steps essential to national security and deterrence.
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