Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief Could Help Ease Tensions in Syrian Sweida: Col. Dahouk
Since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad regime in December 2024, the new Syrian government of Ahmed Al-Sharaa has faced serious challenges, including the dire economic situation and tensions with some local factions, including the Druze.
Saudi Arabia – as a key regional diplomatic player and a global humanitarian donor – has provided unwavering support for Syria, politically and economically, to help the nation rebuild and recover.
In the light of this, the Former Senior Military Advisor to US Department of State, Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk, highlights the significant role Saudi Arabia could play to contain tensions in southern Syria.
Sweida Tensions
In July 2025, clashes erupted between armed groups, Bedouins and government forces in the southern Druze-majority province of Sweida, which prompted Israel to intervene under the pretext of protecting the Druze community. The violence ended with a US-brokered ceasefire a week later.
Against this backdrop, Col. Dahouk noted that the Kingdom could reinforce the security framework included in the Sweida roadmap, recently announced by the US, Syria and Jordan to launch an internal reconciliation process.
The roadmap includes “holding accountable those who attacked civilians, continuing humanitarian and medical aid, compensating those affected, ensuring the return of displaced persons, restoring basic services, deploying local Interior Ministry forces to protect roads, uncovering the fate of missing persons and returning abductees,” the Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, said.
KSrelief Role
In an article published by Hoover Institution, Col. Dahouk suggested that ramping up humanitarian assistance, through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) and other international relief efforts, could reinforce the security framework envisioned in the Sweida roadmap.
“A Saudi-led humanitarian campaign would complement Riyadh’s ongoing investment initiatives in other Syrian provinces and ease the current tensions between the Sweida province and the Syrian government,” Col. Abbas Dahouk said.
As the humanitarian arm of the Kingdom, KSrelief has implemented 419 relief and humanitarian projects, with a value exceeding $532 million, in addition to sending air and land convoys with shelter, food, and medical aid.
