Syrian authorities on Tuesday announced the creation of a new position, head of internal security in the city of Sweida, appointing local Druze figure Suleiman Abdel Baki to the post, in a move aimed at calming tensions after deadly violence erupted in the province in July, according to AFP.

The announcement came ahead of a planned meeting in Damascus bringing together Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shibani, his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi, and U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack to discuss the situation in Sweida.

The province was rocked by a week of clashes starting July 13 between Druze groups and Bedouin fighters, which escalated into deadly confrontations after government forces intervened and tribal gunmen joined the Bedouins. The violence left more than 2,000 people dead, including 789 Druze civilians.