Civil activist Rawad Sadiq survived an assassination attempt yesterday afternoon while travelling from Suweida to the town of Al-Kafr on his motorcycle. Unknown assailants fired at him from close range on the road.
Sadiq is a prominent figure among the activists frequenting Karama Square since the start of the Suweida uprising on August 17, 2023. He is often the first to arrive at the square daily, preparing the area and organizing traffic to create space for protesters.
He is the younger brother of civil activist Salah Sadiq, who was killed in Aleppo province by a Syrian regime airstrike while participating in a relief campaign for besieged Aleppo children on January 1, 2013.
Fears of Repeating the Daraa Model
Two days ago, an unknown gunman shot and killed Basil Al-Fares, a member of the State Security Branch in Suweida, in the Al-Barad neighborhood at the entrance to the village of Rassas while he was returning home at night.
Last month, unknown assailants assassinated Marhej Al-Germani, the leader of the Mountain Brigade faction, while he was sleeping in his guesthouse at dawn, after returning from an interrogation session with a young man involved in an electronic fly network spreading discord and defaming activists and women in the province, according to local sources.
The news of Marhej Al-Germani’s assassination shocked the public in the province and raised suspicions about the regime’s security apparatus’s involvement. Pages close to the Syrian regime, including one named after journalist Rafik Lotf, had been threatening Al-Germani for months.
Similar Scene in Daraa
Civil activist Hassan Harb told Syria TV: “The recent months’ assassinations in Suweida remind us of a similar scene in Daraa after the regime forces returned there under the Russian-sponsored reconciliation in 2018.”
Harb explained, “Since reinforcements entered and Governor Bassam Parsik was replaced by Major General Akram Mohammed, known as the Butcher of Aleppo with a criminal security mindset, the regime’s intentions to destabilize the province and incite sedition have become clear.”
He added, “This is evidenced by the vicious campaign by the electronic fly network, which has launched organized defamation campaigns against the movement and its activists, stirring sectarian tensions among the province’s residents to create two opposing factions, one loyal to the regime and the other against it.”
A human rights activist, who requested anonymity, told Syria TV: “We are not surprised by the actions of this repressive regime, which is accustomed to killing. This is the only field they know how to play in when they are cornered by popular demands for political change and anti-corruption.”
Since the Syrian regime forces took control of Daraa province in 2018, unprecedented assassination operations have occurred, targeting former opposition faction members, revolutionary activists, regime elements, Iranian militias, and their collaborators.
Suweida Uprising
Events escalated in Suweida province in southern Syria after the Syrian regime brought in significant military reinforcements and appointed a new governor with a security background and a history of atrocities against Syrians two months ago.
The escalation began when the regime attempted to set up a military checkpoint at the northern entrance to Suweida, followed by scattered killings and kidnappings, culminating in the shooting of protesters in front of the police headquarters on July 17, seriously injuring one citizen.
Increased Peaceful Movement
Conversely, the peaceful movement in Suweida grew in opposition to the regime’s plans, resulting in a boycott campaign for the People’s Assembly elections, leading to the suspension of elections in many villages and towns and preventing them in others.
On July 25, the General Assembly representing the popular movement in Suweida announced the formation of a political committee representing the movement’s points, composed of 11 members, including four women, elected by direct and public voting in front of local media cameras following a widespread boycott campaign of the regime’s People’s Assembly elections.
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.
