Suwayda governor denies flour crisis, resettlement rumors
SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – Governor of Suwayda in southern Syria, Mustafa Bakour, said on Friday that the ongoing flour shortage in the governorate is “fabricated to cover up other issues,” dismissing local concerns about government negligence.
Bakour told reporters that the government’s “only condition for allowing food supplies into Suwayda is that there be no monopolization or price manipulation,” adding that “merchants and commercial convoys are free to bring flour into the governorate.”
He stressed the need to “separate service-related matters from political agendas.”
According to Bakour, state institutions in Damascus are ready to send wheat and flour to Suwayda, but the lack of a local administrative body capable of receiving and distributing supplies to bakeries has delayed the process.
Addressing rumors circulating on social media, Bakour denied reports about the resettlement of tribal families in predominantly Druze areas, saying such claims were aimed at inciting sectarian tension.
He said the government is working to rehabilitate infrastructure in depopulated areas of the governorate to facilitate the return of displaced residents.
Meanwhile, local sources told North Press that Suwayda has been experiencing a severe flour shortage for the past two days, forcing most bakeries to close and causing bread to disappear entirely from local markets.
Suwayda has been facing a severe flour and bread crisis for weeks due to disrupted supply routes, delayed government shipments, and a lack of local administrative coordination.
Many bakeries have shut down, leading to widespread bread shortages across the Druze-majority governorate. Residents accuse Damascus of imposing an undeclared blockade, while officials blame logistical issues.
Previous North Press reports noted that the crisis has been compounded by fuel shortages, infrastructure damage, and rising humanitarian needs, as limited aid convoys fail to meet local demand.
Reporting by Malin Mohammed