US Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, called on all parties in the country to "lay down their arms, end hostilities, and break free from the cycle of tribal vengeance."

In a post on Platform X on Sunday, Barrack stated that "the international community stands with the new Syrian government formed after the fall of Assad regime," noting that "the world is watching with cautious optimism as the new government works to move from a painful legacy toward a brighter future."

He emphasised that "Syria is at a critical juncture where peace and dialogue must prevail — and that time is now."

He described US President Donald Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Syria as "a preliminary step toward peace."

Barrack said the sides had "navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities". "The next foundation stone on a path to inclusion, and lasting de-escalation, is a complete exchange of hostages and detainees, the logistics of which are in process," he wrote on X.

The death toll from violence in Sweida province, the heartland of Syria's Druze minority, has risen to 1,120 since last weekend, a war monitor said Sunday.
Calm reported in Sweida
Residents reported calm in Syria's Sweida Sunday after the government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city.

With hundreds reported killed, the Sweida bloodshed is a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on Sunday that internal security forces had managed to calm the situation and enforce the ceasefire, "paving the way for a prisoner exchange and the gradual return of stability throughout the governorate".

In recent days, the southern province of Sweida witnessed intense clashes between armed groups and local tribes, resulting in many casualties and displacement of a large number of civilians.