Syrian security forces have launched a prisoner exchange operation to secure the return of detainees held by outlaw groups in the country’s southern Sweida province
State broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya TV reported on Thursday that Internal Security Forces, backed by military police, secured the arrival of 61 detainees at the Matouneh checkpoint in the province’s northern countryside ahead of the exchange.
Buses carrying detainees held by the government were dispatched for handover within the province.
Around 25 individuals held by armed groups were expected to arrive at the same crossing, the channel said, later confirming that at least one bus transporting former detainees had reached the site as the process got under way.
Heavy security deployment
The swap is being mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, with local officials and Interior Ministry representatives overseeing the operation.
Security forces were heavily deployed along the Damascus–Sweida highway to ensure safe passage.
The exchange comes as Sweida remains under a fragile ceasefire declared in July 2025 after clashes between Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze factions killed and wounded hundreds.
Authorities accuse groups linked to Druze cleric Hikmat al Hijri of repeatedly breaching the truce and targeting government positions.
Since the fall of Bashar al Assad’s regime in December 2024, officials in Damascus have pledged to restore nationwide security, though unrest persists in several regions where armed factions remain active.
