Security in the southern province of Suweida deteriorated sharply on Tuesday after a series of violent incidents, including fierce armed clashes in the city center and a separate fatal attack on the Damascus–Suweida highway. At least two people were killed and several others wounded.
According to local sources, the unrest began early in the day when an armed group from the village of Lubein in Suweida’s western countryside—affiliated with the Abu Sarhan clan—stormed the Criminal Security Branch in downtown Suweida. The attackers were reportedly attempting to pressure authorities into releasing one of their members detained on theft charges.
The assault triggered heavy gunfire as the Rapid Intervention Force, operating under the so-called “National Guard,” confronted the group. In response, personnel from the “Security Office,” led by Muhanna Mazhar and Wael Abu Qanşul, deployed across the city in an effort to restore control.
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The clashes left Fahd Naji al-Shaarani dead and critically wounded his father, Naji al-Shaarani. Local sources describe the elder al-Shaarani—originally from the village of Dour and a member of the National Guard—as a leader of groups accused of kidnapping, theft, and drug trafficking in the area.
In a separate incident, gunmen ambushed a vegetable truck on the main Damascus–Suweida highway. Initial reports indicate that an armed group intercepted the vehicle in the northern part of the province, an area under National Guard influence. The attackers opened fire without warning, killing the driver instantly and injuring his companion. The assailants then seized the truck and its cargo before fleeing.
The back-to-back attacks have heightened fears over the safety of commercial transport and the flow of essential goods into the governorate.
Tuesday’s events highlight the increasingly volatile security landscape in Suweida, where multiple armed factions operate under competing banners. Observers warn that the escalating violence reflects a deepening power struggle—one that threatens to push the province, long considered relatively stable, toward a dangerous state of chaos that could undermine its fragile civil peace.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
