Two Druze militia commanders injured in Syria’s Suweida

Two security commanders from the “National Guard” militia in Syria’s southern Druze-majority Suweida province were injured by gunfire during clashes that took place in Suweida city.

This is the latest round of clashes in the province, which is outside the control of the Syrian government.

The fractious “National Guard” militia was formed by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, a Druze religious leader who has expressed support for Israel while calling for Suweida province’s separation from Syria.

Local sources told The New Arab that Rami Ishti, a leader from the National Guard’s security office, was wounded by a gunshot during the clashes.

Another security office, Ghaith Qantar, was also wounded by gunfire, as tensions and shooting continued in the city.

The “National Guard” sent reinforcements from the town of Areeqa to the city of Suweida in order to assist the two leaders and break the siege imposed on them by rival factions. They were forced to take refuge inside a building in the city centre before they were shot.

The number of casualties from the clashes and the immediate reasons that led to their outbreak were not immediately clear.

The fighting comes about a week after remarks by al-Hijri in which he said Suweida province was “an integral part of the State of Israel.”

He also said that there would be developments concerning the Suweida issue that would become clear in the coming days, without revealing their nature or providing further details.

Al-Hijri’s remarks came amid conflicting reports about the existence of talks between parties linked to him and the Syrian government, amid attempts reach an arrangement that would bring the ongoing crisis in Suweida province to an end.

There has been no clear official announcement regarding the course of these talks or the results they might produce.

The province has recently witnessed violent incidents, including killings, kidnappings, and assaults in areas controlled by groups calling themselves the “National Guard.”

Activists and figures opposed to the “National Guard” militias have also been detained.

On Wednesday, clashes broke out in Suweida as crowds stormed government buildings after the killing of a young man, Mazen Ismail al-Asrawi, several days earlier.

The incident highlighted continued lawlessness and internal tensions in the province, where the proliferation of weapons and the presence of multiple armed groups have created an unstable security situation.

In July 2025, clashes broke out in Suweida between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes. Hundreds of people were killed.

Syrian government forces intervened and were accused of committing war crimes. They later withdrew after Israel intervened on the side of the Druze militias.

Israel had previously tried to position itself as a “protector” of Syria’s Druze while declaring its intention to split Syria along ethnic and sectarian lines and taking over Syrian territory beyond the Golan Heights, which it occupied in 1967.