Karam Saeed‏‏

On August 12, 2025, Amman, hosted a tripartite meeting that brought together officials from Jordan, Syria and the United States. The meeting sought not only to address the sectarian crisis in Sweida Governorate but also to discuss support for Syria’s stability and reconstruction as well as facilitate its reintegration into regional and international forums. The talks unfolded against a backdrop of developments that heightened their significance. Despite a ceasefire taking effect on July 19, 2025, Sweida continues to grapple with severe security and humanitarian challenges. The meeting also followed the Syrian government announcement on August 10, 2025 that it would boycott the Paris talks with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), insisting that all negotiations be held with Damascus, as the ‘legitimate national venue for dialogue among Syrians’. Furthermore, the meeting coincided with renewed Druze calls to internationalize the Sweida sectarian crisis. Stressful ContextsThe consultative meeting on Syria took place in Amman amid several different events and developments, which can be summarized as follows: 1- Continuation of the Dilemma in Sweida: The talks in Amman are inseparable from the evolving sectarian tensions in Sweida between armed Druze factions and tribal militants. Following renewed clashes in the governorate, the tribes became on high alert under the pretext of rescuing Bedouin tribes in Sweida. This came after widespread reports on social media indicating alleged violations committed against Bedouin tribes by armed Druze elements. It is worth noting that the internationally sponsored ceasefire agreement in Sweida –which entered into force on July 21, 2025– was not sustained and failed to address the underlying causes.2- The commencement of the ‘Hasakah’ Conference: Tension escalated between Damascus and Syrian minorities especially after the SDF sponsored a conference in the city of Hasakah on August 9, 2025. The conference brought together religious figures from Sweida and the Syrian coast as well as local parties opposed to the transitional authority. Damascus considered the move a blow to reconciliation efforts among Syrian communities. In the government’s view, the Hasakah conference opened the door to foreign intervention and provided a cover for systematic demographic change at the expense of Syrian Arabs by extremist Kurdish movements. 3- Escalating tensions between Damascus and the SDF: The Amman meeting came amid escalating security tensions between Damascus and the SDF culminating in violent clashes between the Syrian army and the SDF on August 12, 2025, in the Tal Maaz area east of Aleppo. These clashes were preceded by the Syrian government’s dispatch of large military reinforcements to strategic areas in the eastern Aleppo countryside and the Raqqa countryside in northern Syria on August 10, 2025.4- Damascus withdraws from Paris Meetings: On August 9, 2025, Damascus announced that it would not participate in the meetings scheduled for the French capital with the SDF. It also affirmed that it "would not sit at the negotiating table with any party seeking to revive the former regime era under any name or cover. Many observers argue that Damascus’s withdrawal from the Paris meetings signals its continued reliance on war as a viable option to regain territories under SDF control. This stance has been reinforced by the stalled implementation of the March 10, 2025 agreement, whose provisions remain largely unfulfilled, while sporadic clashes continue to flare up.5- Moscow’s Efforts to Reinforce its Presence in Syria: The US-backed Amman meeting comes amid a significant development in Russia’s role in Syria, evident in the strengthening of Russian forces at an airport in northeastern Syria. On August 11, 2025, Russian forces began rehabilitating the site where they stationed their aircraft and expanding their military base. Moreover, the limits of Syrian-Russian relations have been tested with the arrival of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Hassan al-Shaibani in Moscow on July 31, 2025. Moscow welcomed the visit, while the Syrian transitional authority sought to use it to mitigate the geopolitical conflict over Syria. The visit was also viewed as an opportunity to counterbalance trends harming Syrian interests, particularly within the UN Security Council.Key ObjectivesThe Amman meeting aimed to achieve several objectives that could contribute to supporting stability in Syria and the region. The most important of which are: 1- Deescalating tensions in Sweida: The Amman meeting aimed to support stabilization in Sweida. This reflects regional and international concern about the situation spiraling out of control, particularly after the Druze accused the government of targeting them. Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of the Druze community, issued a statement on August 9, 2025, accusing the Syrian government of committing what he described as "systematic genocide" against the province’s residents. He called for urgent international intervention and the opening of a UN investigation. Al-Hijri’s statement sparked widespread controversy, after he publicly praised the roles of the United States, Israel and the ‘Kurdish Autonomous Administration’. This explains the Amman meeting’s decision to promote the ceasefire in Sweida and find a comprehensive solution to the crisis. Furthermore, the participants emphasized the need to hold perpetrators of violations accountable and create conditions for the return of displaced persons to their homes. 2- Regional and International Coordination on Syria: According to many observers, one of the driving factors behind the Amman meeting was the desire to enhance regional and international coordination regarding the management of Syrian interactions. Here, the meeting’s emphasis becomes clear: prioritizing the strengthening of Syria’s security situation, ensuring its sovereignty, and safeguarding the rights of all Syrians.3- Supporting Syria’s Reconstruction Efforts: The economic as well as the humanitarian challenges facing Syria were a priority on the agenda of talks at the Amman meeting, particularly in light of the continuing collapse of infrastructure in swaths of land across Syria. In addition to the humanitarian crisis. In this context, the Amman meeting emphasized the need to accelerate support for the reconstruction process in Syria. Furthermore, it was agreed to provide relief assistance in the humanitarian field including ensuring the return of displaced persons to their home, ensuring the delivery of food and medical aid, and opening international roads.4- Countering Israeli Interventions in Syria: Jordan and the Shara’a government fear that Israeli interventions in Syria might escalate with Israel aiming to exploit sectarian incidents to justify its territorial expansion within Syrian territory. Despite the U.S. support for Israeli policies in the region, there is a divergence between the two countries regarding the Syrian issue which manifested in the Sweida conflict. &nbsp;Washington views al-Sharaa’s rule – despite the challenges – as an opportunity to restore balance in Syria and fill the vacuum left by the declining Iranian influence. On the other hand, Netanyahu believes that any central authority on Damascus – even a weak one – would hinder his project to fragment Syria along sectarian lines. In light of this, the Amman meeting reiterated the U.S. and international support for Syria’s unity as well as containing Israeli expansion with Syria. 5- Reinforcing Jordan’s Regional Role: One of the main objectives of Jordan’s approach to the Syrian crisis is to consolidate the Kingdom’s regional role and assert its role as a mediator. Hosting a series of regional and international meetings on Syria in recent months has been one of the key mechanisms to ensure the continued effectiveness of Jordan’s role, both in the Syrian arena and more broadly across the region. This could enhance Jordan’s various geopolitical and economic interests. In this context, the meeting reaffirmed the central role of Jordan as a communication channel between Damascus and local Syrian groups opposed to the transitional authority. It is worth noting that the Jordanian capital hosted ceasefire negotiations in Sweida Governorate on July 19, 2025. Moreover, Jordan is preparing to host another round of negotiations between the Syrian government and representatives of the Druze community in the next phase, aimed at strengthening dialogue between the two sides. In conclusion, the Amman meeting helped the transitional government address the sectarian crisis that is taking a huge toll on Syria’s security, by demonstrating the extent of international and regional support for Damascus. The meeting also served as an additional step toward reducing the risks of foreign intervention.

How Can the ‘Amman Meeting’ Promote Stability in Syria?