The “National Guard”, a formation supported by the spiritual leader of the Druze community, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, announced that it had arrested figures it described as “traitors and conspirators” in what it called a “precise”, “swift”, and “decisive” security operation on Saturday, 29 November.
In a statement issued late on Saturday, the Guard said it had uncovered a “despicable” plot and “high treason”, in its words, involving “a group of cowards and agents who sold their consciences” through coordination with the “terrorist government in Damascus” and “some external parties”, as the faction put it.
According to the “National Guard”, the “plot” aimed to carry out what it described as a “dangerous internal security breach” that would pave the way for a “barbaric attack” targeting Suwayda city (southern Syria) and its residents, in exchange for “a handful of money polluted by treason”, as stated in the communiqué published on its Facebook page.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent reported that “National Guard” forces carried out a wave of arrests from the evening of Friday, 28 November, until Saturday evening, targeting figures from the province, including the Druze sheikhs Raed al-Mutni and Marwan Rizq, Asim Abu Fakhr, and Ghandi Abu Fakhr, as well as another man from the al-Safadi family.
Videos circulated on social media, shared by activists, showed acts of torture and humiliation against Sheikh al-Mutni, including the shaving of his moustache and verbal insults.
The local network “Suwayda 24” reported on Saturday that the “National Guard” deployed at the main entrances to the city and on key roads, in parallel with the arrest campaign.
“Suwayda 24” said the number of detainees had reached five, naming among them Raed al-Mutni and Asim Abu Fakhr, without mentioning the other names referred to in local reports.
The “National Guard” framed the alleged plot as “not merely a breach but a treacherous stab in the side of the mountain”, and a “vile attempt” to undermine the steadfastness of its people and their “free will”, according to its statement.
In a second communiqué, the Guard announced it had arrested and detained two of its own members for conduct it described as violating military discipline and “contrary” to local customs and traditions during the arrest operations.
It said that internal procedures would be taken against them in line with its internal regulations and applicable military codes, “in a way that guarantees the preservation of order and institutional discipline”.
Fallout from the arrest campaign
In response, the director of security in Suwayda city, Suleiman Abdul Baqi, said that his house and the homes of his relatives had been looted and destroyed by “National Guard” members.
He argued that Suwayda had become a theater for “kidnapping, theft, and narcotics gangs”, who in his view are “directing their power at women and children”, targeting Internal Security Forces checkpoints from long distances and from within civilian neighborhoods, while “fearing face-to-face confrontation”.
Conversely, accounts supportive of the “National Guard” claimed the arrests were prompted by an attempted coup that the detainees were allegedly preparing against Sheikh al-Hijri.
Media figure Maher Sharaf al-Din, who is close to al-Hijri, said the detainees had been planning to carry out security operations in Suwayda city, citing unnamed “special sources” without identifying them.
According to Sharaf al-Din, these operations allegedly included assassinating certain leading figures, detonating car bombs, and planting improvised explosive devices in public places and crowded areas.
After the Suwayda events
The “National Guard” is a military structure announced on 23 August, with the blessing of Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, and brings together factions active in Suwayda province.
Its establishment came a little over a month after tensions that pitted local factions in Suwayda against government forces and Bedouin tribes.
The Suwayda events began on 12 July, after mutual kidnappings between residents of the al-Maqous neighborhood in Suwayda city, which is predominantly Bedouin, and a number of members of the Druze community, escalated the following 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 to respond, including groups that had previously cooperated with the Ministries of Defense and Interior.
On 16 July, government forces withdrew from Suwayda after coming under Israeli strikes, which was followed by violations and acts of revenge targeting Bedouin residents of the province, leading to the dispatch of military convoys framed as “tribal relief” to support them.
Subsequently, the Syrian government and Israel reached an agreement, mediated by the United States, providing for a halt to military operations.
Suwayda, the “National Guard” accuses detainees of “conspiring with Damascus” Enab Baladi.
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