Sweida IDPs: between harshness of displacement, absence of return solutions

The suffering of the displaced and internally displaced Syrians continues in various regions, starting from the north in Serê Kaniyê, passing through Afrin, and reaching the south, specifically in Sweida city, where most of the rural residents are still displaced, waiting for justice by being allowed to return to their villages.

ANHA agency met with many of IDPs living in the courthouse building, which has been converted into a shelter, in order to shed light on their plight and present their demands to the public.

A witness to the killing of 25 people from his village

Citizen Jamal Saif al-Din from the village of Walgha said that they were displaced from it on 14/7/2025, under the barrage of shelling and the killings that targeted their village, seeking refuge in the courthouse building as displaced persons in need of shelter.

The center houses approximately 800 displaced individuals from various villages, especially in the northern and western parts of Sweida city.

Jamal told ANHA agency's correspondent that he witnessed the killing of about 25 people from his village, which was shelled by tanks from the interim government factions, in addition to the looting of what remained of the houses, the appropriation of some, and the burning of the rest.

Difficult living conditions

As for the citizen Dalal Najib Kouri, who hails from the village of al-Thaala, she pointed out that the "Daesh" were the ones who forced them to flee on the 14th of July last year.

The citizen confirmed that their stay in the courthouse was difficult in terms of living conditions, as the relief aid lasted for several months and then stopped, causing them numerous problems.

For his part, Muti' Zahreddin, displaced from the village of Hazm on July 15, 2025, said he was displaced from his home due to the "terrorism" imposed on them, describing the economic conditions as miserable, as he does not have a job and there is no entity to help them, whether it be humanitarian or otherwise.

He comments on the issue by saying that he was only given a tent during that entire period, criticizing the cessation of aid and the absence of solutions to their humanitarian conditions.

In this regard, Riham al-Maamadi al-Aqbani, the director of the Judicial Palace in Sweida, which has turned into a shelter for the displaced, points out that the difficulties revolve around the lack of support provided, especially food supplies, calling on United Nations organizations to intervene and assist the displaced as soon as possible.

Demands for return and compensation

As for the safe return, citizen Jamal Saif al-Din points out that, until now, no official from Sweida or the government has contacted them to explain the mechanism or method of their collective return, whether through the "guarantor countries" or otherwise.

He urged the relevant authorities in Sweida to work on the file of their return to the villages from which they were displaced nearly a year ago, pointing out that the house he built took him 47 years of work and effort before he left it behind without knowing its fate or condition.

In the same context, citizen Dalal demanded the necessity of achieving a dignified return to their homes, noting that the recent displacement campaign caused them significant losses in agricultural crops, without any compensation.

As for the citizen Muti' Zahr al-Din, he said that there is no meaning to a safe return without compensation, after his lands and properties turned to "ashes." He confirmed that he, along with several villagers, were threatened by the controlling authorities of the village when they tried to return to take a look at their properties.

The demands of the displaced revolve around excluding the military factions affiliated with the interim government in Syria, which control the countryside of Sweida, and that the return process be overseen by international guaranties under the auspices of the United Nations, expressing their lack of trust in any internal guaranties.

ANHA