Renewed clashes have broken out between Internal Security Forces affiliated with the Syrian Interior Ministry and local factions in Suwayda province (southern Syria) for the third consecutive day, amid mutual accusations from both sides over who initiated the attack and violated the agreement.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Daraa province (southern Syria) reported that clashes resumed at dawn on Friday, 14 November, between the “National Guard” on one side and the Internal Security Forces on the other. The National Guard targeted Internal Security positions with medium-caliber weapons, wounding seven members of the Internal Security Forces, with no confirmed deaths so far.
The Governor of Suwayda, Mustafa al-Bakour, said that the actions carried out by some local factions in Suwayda, and what is called the “National Guard”, by attacking deconfliction points, constitute a clear violation of international agreements and obstruct efforts to rehabilitate damaged areas and prepare for the return of residents to their villages.
“These actions not only threaten the path of reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure, they also undermine stability, delay our steps toward restoring normal life, and hinder efforts to ensure dignified conditions for the return of all displaced people,” the Suwayda Governorate quoted al-Bakour as saying on its Facebook page.
For its part, the “National Guard”, the military structure established by the spiritual leader of the Druze community, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, stated that from Thursday evening until dawn on Friday the contact lines in the western sector and the western approaches to Suwayda city witnessed a series of what it described as “coordinated and aggressive” breaches, carried out by what it called “terrorist gangs affiliated with the Damascus authorities” in an attempt to destabilize the area and effect changes on the ground along the front lines.
In a statement on its Facebook page, the National Guard said that attacks were recorded on more than one axis, including a multi-directional assault toward the village of al-Majdal (in the western Suwayda countryside), movements and fire from al-Mansura and the Rimeh Hazem area (both in the western Suwayda countryside) toward the towns of Salim and Atil (in the northern Suwayda countryside), and fire from the al-Shaqrawiya area and Tel Hadid hill (in the western Suwayda countryside) toward the western axis of Suwayda city.
The Internal Security Command in Suwayda told the state-run al-Ikhbariya television channel that what it described as “rebel gangs” in Suwayda renewed, for the third day in a row, their violations of the ceasefire and shelled positions in the province’s countryside, resulting in casualties among Internal Security personnel.
“The repeated violations of the ceasefire in Suwayda are the responsibility of the parties working to destabilize security and stability in the province,” the Internal Security Command said, adding that its forces had foiled several infiltration attempts launched by what it called “gangs” from multiple fronts in the area.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent confirmed that the area is witnessing a cautious calm, with Internal Security Forces deployed across the western countryside of Suwayda.
The National Guard, for its part, said it had managed to destroy several hostile combat vehicles, in addition to inflicting fatalities among the attacking forces, which were forced to retreat under intense fire.
The governor considered that commitment by all parties to the spirit of the agreement and respect for the deconfliction points is the only way to ensure safe returns, allow reconstruction to continue, and consolidate the foundations of stability.
Previous clashs
Clashes previously broke out in the western countryside of Suwayda on 11 November between Internal Security Forces affiliated with the Syrian Interior Ministry and local factions in Suwayda.
At the time, Enab Baladi’s correspondent reported an exchange of fire between the two sides in the western countryside of the province, in the areas of Arika and Tel Hadid (in the western Suwayda countryside), while the types of weapons used could not be confirmed.
A security source in Suwayda told Enab Baladi that what is called the “National Guard” (local factions supporting the position of Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri) targeted with heavy machine guns positions belonging to the Public Security directorate around the town of Arika and Tel Hadid, which heightened tensions in the area.
The source noted that there were no injuries among Public Security forces in that area.
At the same time, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quoted a security source as saying that “outlaw groups” had targeted Tel Hadid and Tel Aqra hill (in Suwayda countryside) with mortars and heavy machine guns, describing the incident as “a violation of the ceasefire”.
The “National Guard in Suwayda” described what happened in a statement as “a blatant and deliberate violation of the truce”.
In its statement, the National Guard said that “terrorist gangs linked to the ruling authority in Damascus” had targeted the western axis of Suwayda city using drones.
A ceasefire agreement was signed in Suwayda on 19 July, under US Jordanian sponsorship, after three days of bloody clashes in which Israel intervened, saying its involvement was aimed at “protecting the Druze”.
Suwayda events
The recent cycle of events in Suwayda began on 12 July, following mutual kidnappings between residents of the al-Maqous neighborhood in Suwayda city (a quarter with a Bedouin majority) and a number of members of the Druze community. The situation escalated the next day into armed clashes.
The Syrian government intervened on 14 July to end the dispute, but its intervention was accompanied by violations against Druze civilians, prompting local factions, including those that had been cooperating with the Defense and Interior ministries, to retaliate.
On 16 July, government forces withdrew from Suwayda after being targeted by Israeli airstrikes, which was followed by violations and acts of reprisal against Bedouin residents of the province. This led to the dispatch of military convoys in the form of “tribal rescue columns” in their support.
Subsequently, the Syrian government and Israel reached an agreement mediated by the United States, providing for a halt to military operations.
Renewed clashes in Suwayda amid mutual accusations of violating the ceasefire agreement Enab Baladi.
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