Syrian activist Saif Hatem, known as Abu Majd, was abducted by unidentified people in Suwayda governorate (southern Syria) on Monday, August 3, days after he was summoned over posts he published on Facebook.
Local media platforms, including al-Rased and Suwayda 24, reported that unidentified people had abducted Abu Majd.
Al-Rased cited unnamed corroborating sources as saying that a group of armed men traveling in a white van intercepted Hatem, forced him into the vehicle, and took him to an unknown location.
Suwayda 24, which is administered from outside the city, also cited sources it described as local in reporting Hatem’s abduction.
The sources cited by the local page called on the police leadership to assume full responsibility for Hatem’s safety, ensure his return home, and arrest those involved. According to the sources, those responsible for the incident are seeking to impose their control over the city and its residents by force of arms.
After Critical Posts
Suwayda 24 linked the abduction to a video Hatem published on his personal Facebook page. In the recording, he said the locally administered police had summoned him over posts criticizing the living and security conditions in Suwayda governorate and the pressures and challenges facing residents.
The activist said the police asked him to delete the posts and publish others contradicting what he had written. He said the request had come from “higher authorities,” which he did not identify.
Hatem refused to delete the posts, saying they fell within the scope of freedom of expression and demands to hold officials accountable for the events witnessed in Suwayda governorate.
Hatem regularly publishes posts criticizing local political, military, and public service conditions, referring in them to what he calls “the highest-ranking leaders in Suwayda.”
At the time of publication, the circumstances of the incident and the identity of those responsible remained unclear, although some reports pointed to members of the “National Guard,” which exercises military control over the area.
The National Guard deployed across Suwayda governorate following Hatem’s abduction, according to Enab Baladi’s correspondent.
Repeated Tensions, Killings, and Abductions
Suwayda city is experiencing continuing security instability under a local administration overseen by the “Administrative Council” in Jabal Bashan, Suwayda, under the supervision of Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of the Druze community.
The situation has resulted in abductions and killings. In a previous report, Enab Baladi documented more than 20 violent incidents from the beginning of 2026 through mid-May.
The city is also experiencing difficult economic and public service conditions because of the Suwayda administration’s estrangement from the Syrian capital, Damascus, and the latter’s military siege of the city.
Tensions in Suwayda began in July 2025 following fighting between local factions loyal to al-Hijri and fighters from local Bedouin tribes who were supported by government forces.
All parties committed violations against civilians during July 2025 following the government intervention. Israel responded by bombing government forces that had entered Suwayda, as well as the General Staff building in Damascus.
The Syrian government and Israel, which claims to support the Druze community, subsequently reached a US-mediated agreement to halt military operations.
Since then, the parties have repeatedly accused one another of violating the ceasefire, without any change to the military map of control on the ground.