ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on Friday welcomed the exchange of dozens of detainees between the Damascus government and Druze factions in the southern province of Suwayda, describing the move as “a step away from vengeance, and a step toward stability.”

In July 2025, a series of sectarian clashes broke out between Syrian government forces and local armed groups in the Druze-majority province, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documenting over 1,600 deaths during the skirmishes.

In a post on X, Barrack said 25 government-affiliated fighters and 61 Druze fighters were exchanged in what he called a smooth and orderly process carried out with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

He added that the United States was honored to help facilitate the effort and thanked US Representative Abraham Hamadeh for his role in initiating the process.

Stephan Sakalian, head of the ICRC delegation in Syria, said in a statement on Thursday that the operation reunited families who had been waiting for months for news about their relatives.

"The ICRC hopes that this operation will pave the way towards possible further releases and dialogue between all parties on other humanitarian concerns, including on the fate and whereabouts of people gone missing in relation to the hostilities in southern Syria since July 2025," he added.

The ICRC said it acted as a neutral intermediary and coordinated closely with all sides. Its teams interviewed each detainee prior to transfer to confirm their willingness to be released and assess their health condition.

Medical staff were present during the operation, and ambulances from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent accompanied the convoy to respond to any emergencies.

Since renewed fighting erupted in southern Syria last year, the organization has visited detention sites in both Damascus and Suwayda and facilitated contact between detainees and their families as part of ongoing efforts to address humanitarian needs linked to the conflict.

Clashes between the Syrian interim government and the country's Druze, Kurdish, and Alawite minorities have led to a deficit of trust toward the government's centralizing tendencies. 

Following Damascus' offensive against the Kurdish-led Rojava (northeast Syria) administration in January, a ceasefire and integration agreement was signed that contains provisions for the release of detained fighters.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) on Tuesday called for serious action to begin implementing a prisoner swap between the Rojava forces and Damascus, calling it an "urgent humanitarian step and a fundamental confidence-building measure."