By Haroun al-Arbid
SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – The Druze-majority Suwayda Governorate in southern Syria is experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis due to a blockade imposed by the Syrian transitional government and allied armed groups for several weeks. The siege has brought commercial activity to a halt and caused a shortage of food and medical supplies, according to residents and local officials who spoke to North Press.
Residents say there is a near-total absence of fuel products and a disruption in flour supplies, forcing bakeries to shut down for long hours. Bread queues now stretch for hours outside distribution centers, as sporadic clashes continue between armed Druze groups and forces of the transitional government.
Suffocating siege
Raed al-Ahmad, a doctor from Suwayda, said, “First of all, they’ve imposed a blockade on Suwayda. There is no fuel. Yesterday they brought wheat flour but there’s no fuel, no diesel, nothing. It’s a suffocating siege.”
“Shops are almost out of food supplies available in Suwayda. We are heading toward famine; no one knows what will happen here. There’s no milk or basic needs for children. It’s a real siege.”
Another resident, Ibrahim Ashti, said the attacks on the city are not about security, but rather organized violence carried out by groups affiliated with the government, targeting civilians of all ages, describing the situation as “sectarian cleansing” in his words.
“Nothing is available. We appeal to all honorable people across all governorates to send food supplies. There is real hunger,” Ashti said.
“There are no public services. Internet is cut off communications are cut, and all services have been severed from this governorate. We hope that the honorable people of this country, and all honorable people around the world, come to Suwayda to see the scale of destruction that has occurred.”
Wael Abu Awad, a merchant in Suwayda, confirmed that road closures between Suwayda, Damascus, and Daraa for the past three weeks have led to the depletion of essential items like sugar, rice, and oil. No aid has been able to enter the province. He demanded the opening of a humanitarian corridor, even from Jordan, just to bring in basic supplies.
At one bakery, resident Hassan Amer said he waited six hours for a loaf of bread with no success, adding that people are literally collapsing under economic pressure.
Suwayda’s main bakery at risk of shutting down
Muwafaq Abdulbaqi, director of Suwayda’s main automated bakery, said “We are now suffering from a severe shortage of available materials, especially in terms of basic production supplies such as flour for bread, government-supplied wheat flour, fuel, yeast, plastic bags, and salt.”
“Previously, we used to receive these supplies regularly, including fuel. But since this blockade began, supplies have stopped. Now, we are relying on international organizations.”
These developments come amid escalating tensions in Suwayda over recent months, following clashes between local Druze groups on one side and Syrian government forces along with armed tribal groups in the south on the other. The most recent confrontations have left casualties on both sides, with mutual accusations over responsibility for the escalation.
Despite local warnings of an impending humanitarian catastrophe, the Syrian transitional government denies any siege on the city. It claims its forces are deployed around Suwayda to maintain the ceasefire. Meanwhile, urgent calls continue to be made from within Suwayda for international organizations to intervene.