Syria’s government has called on all factions in Suwayda province to respect a ceasefire after nearly a week of deadly clashes between Druze factions and Bedouin fighters left hundreds dead and the region teetering on the brink of wider conflict.

In a statement on Saturday, the Syrian presidency announced an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire across the restive southern region and urged all parties to halt hostilities. Damascus confirmed its internal security forces have begun deployments in Sweida to enforce stability after days of bloodshed.

Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, in a televised address, said mediation efforts by Arab and American officials had helped restore calm but warned that Syria “will not be a testing ground for partition, secession, or sectarian incitement.” He condemned Israel’s recent airstrikes in southern Syria and Damascus, saying they had pushed the country “into a dangerous phase.”

The violence in Suwayda erupted between Bedouin fighters and Druze factions, drawing in government forces as fighting spread. Israel, citing the protection of the Druze minority, which also resides in Israel and the occupied Golan Heights, carried out strikes on Syrian military facilities and the defence ministry in Damascus over the past week.

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack confirmed the ceasefire agreement on Friday, noting support from Türkiye, Jordan, and neighboring states. Barrack urged all communities — Druze, Bedouin, Sunni — to lay down arms and work towards a “new and united Syrian identity.”

An Israeli official confirmed Israel had agreed to allow limited Syrian military access to Suwayda for the next two days to secure the ceasefire.