One man was killed and 11 people, including a child, were wounded on Monday evening, August 31, when clashes resumed west of Suwayda (southern Syria) between Internal Security Forces affiliated with Syria’s Interior Ministry and the “National Guard,” which is affiliated with Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of the Druze community. The fighting involved exchanges of gunfire and shelling.

Qutaiba Azzam, director of media relations in Suwayda province, told Enab Baladi that the clashes began when a “National Guard” position west of Suwayda targeted the villages of Rima Hazem and al-Mansoura with medium and heavy weapons. The two areas are under Syrian government control.

“National Guard” forces also targeted Internal Security Forces with a drone, causing a number of injuries among security personnel, according to Azzam.

He said the number of injured security personnel had risen to ten, while reports from inside Suwayda indicated casualties among “National Guard” members and the death of one of its personnel.

Azzam added that “National Guard” forces attempted to advance along another axis toward Tal Hadid, west of Suwayda, but Internal Security Forces repelled them, leading to intense clashes between the two sides.

Meanwhile, the Internal Security Command in Suwayda province told al-Ikhbariya that what it described as “outlaw groups” in Suwayda targeted positions belonging to Internal Security Forces tasked with securing the province. It said positions in the Tal Hadid area and the Walgha axis were attacked with mortar shells and heavy machine guns, along with a pickup truck belonging to Internal Security Forces, resulting in injuries among civilians and security personnel.

“National Guard” Accuses Government

In a statement, the command of the “National Guard Forces” said government forces targeted the city’s western axis with mortar shells and indiscriminate fire from 23 mm guns. It said a child was wounded by shrapnel in the thigh and that the remaining damage was material, according to the statement.

The statement added that “National Guard” positions deployed along the axis responded to the sources of fire, vowing to respond to what it described as “attacks targeting residential neighborhoods.”

Local sources in Suwayda told Enab Baladi that developments began with the western axis of the city coming under fire before the shooting intensified and was accompanied by mortar shells and 23 mm gunfire from the direction of Tal Hadid, which is under Internal Security control, toward residential areas surrounding the city.

The sources said the fighting killed a “National Guard” member and wounded 14-year-old Ribal Gharz al-Din with shrapnel in the thigh.

Gunfire also resumed from the direction of Tal Hadid toward “National Guard” positions, alongside fire from other directions, including Rima Hazem and Walgha. Intermittent shelling with heavy weapons and mortar shells continued until late at night.

The sources said neither side made any advance and that the fighting was limited to exchanges of fire.

The escalation coincided with a grass fire on the Kanaker axis.

The electricity company also announced that Suwayda’s main and backup 66 kV lines had gone out of service because of the clashes, cutting electricity to a large part of Suwayda city and the entire Shahba area.

The company said repairs to the two lines and their return to service would take place after the necessary approvals were obtained, amid the continuing security situation on the western axes. Sporadic fire continued until dawn.

Two Security Incidents Preceded Clashes

The clashes came one day after Suwayda witnessed two security incidents on Sunday, August 30. In the first, two young men were wounded after being shot, while the second involved an explosion in the village of Kanaker in the province’s countryside.

The two young men were shot by members of the “al-Anqoud checkpoint,” which is affiliated with the “National Guard” and falls under the authority of Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of the Druze community.

Enab Baladi’s correspondent reported at the time that the incident resulted from a dispute at the checkpoint that developed into gunfire by its members, wounding Yamen Kiwan and Jawad Mahmoud. Some sources said the two men were shot accidentally.

The Suwayda 24 network confirmed that Yamen Kiwan and driver Jawad Raed Mahmoud were wounded by gunfire from a checkpoint affiliated with the “National Guard” at al-Anqoud roundabout in central Suwayda city.

An explosion also occurred near the village of Kanaker, west of Suwayda city, close to contact points between the “National Guard” and Syrian government forces.

Local sources told Enab Baladi that the explosion killed two people, including a woman, and wounded one other person. No information was available about the identities of those killed or wounded at the time the report was prepared.

Accounts differed over the cause of the explosion. One attributed it to a landmine in the area, while another said a mortar shell fired by Syrian government forces had landed there.

Ongoing Security Incidents

Suwayda province has witnessed recurring security incidents. The latest before these events occurred on August 28, when four people were wounded, one of them seriously, in clashes between two groups of armed men following personal disputes in Suwayda city, southern Syria.

Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Suwayda reported that gunfire broke out near the Suwayda provincial government building in the city center following a personal dispute that escalated into an armed clash, injuring civilians and others affiliated with the “National Guard.”

The armed groups used RPG launchers, which are anti-armor weapons, during the clashes.

According to the correspondent, citing local sources, Murshid Murshid was seriously wounded and transferred to intensive care, while Jamil Murshid suffered a shrapnel wound to the leg. Another person from the Abu Sarhan family was also wounded.

Rami Eshti, a commander in the security office affiliated with the “National Guard,” was also lightly wounded, according to information the correspondent obtained from local sources.