TUNIS, July 22. /TASS/. The tense situation in the Syrian province of Suwayda threatens to plunge the country into a deeper crisis, the Democratic Syria Council, linked to the Kurdish autonomous administration in the country’s northeast, said.

The Democratic Syria Council claims that what’s happening in Suwayda is "a sign of the collapse of the country’s political and institutional system," as well as of "the central government’s inability to perform its duty to manage a variety of ethnic groups and ensure civil order." The council warned about "the risk of [the country] sliding into domestic conflicts of religious, regional or civic nature," which could have "devastating consequences."

The council called for convening "a comprehensive nationwide conference" to chart a new political course for the country "based on transitional justice and a decentralized, pluralistic system." The body also demanded an end to all "forms of incitement to hatred and acts of provocation in the media and politics," which pose a direct threat to civil peace.

On July 13, clashes between Arab tribal militias and Druze self-defense units broke out in the Suwayda province. On July 15, the Syrian army entered the region's eponymous capital and launched a mop-up operation in order to restore stability. A while later, Israel began conducting strikes on the Syrian army’s military convoys, citing a desire to protect the Druze population; on July 16, Israel attacked several strategic facilities in Damascus.

On July 19, Syrian’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa declared a ceasefire in Suwayda based on a settlement plan developed together with international mediators, including the US.