Three civilians were injured in clashes between armed groups in Suwayda city (southern Syria) on Thursday evening, October 29.
Local sources in Suwayda told Enab Baladi that the clashes began after lawyer Salman Radwan was attacked and beaten by an armed group affiliated with a local faction in Suwayda, prompting his transfer to a hospital in the city.
Following the incident, people close to Radwan mobilized, and the dispute escalated into an exchange of gunfire between the lawyer’s relatives and the other group, accompanied by heavy shooting in several parts of the city.
An armed group from the Abu Hassoun and Radwan families subsequently attacked a house belonging to the Abu Sarhan family in the al-Mashwarab neighborhood in retaliation. The clashes spread from the al-Haroubi neighborhood at the city’s northern entrance toward the al-Muhandisin neighborhood.
The clashes involved the firing of rocket-propelled projectiles, leaving three civilians injured and causing extensive damage to buildings, according to residents.
Meanwhile, the Suwayda Media Directorate reported that “violent” clashes had erupted between groups it described as operating outside the law, resulting in civilian injuries.
The directorate said the clashes extended from the al-Maqous neighborhood in the eastern part of the city to Suwayda’s market and the al-Mashwarab neighborhood.
According to local sources, mediation efforts were underway to contain the dispute and ease tensions, amid calls for a ceasefire as the city remained tense.
Previous Abduction and Assault
Suwayda city has experienced recurring security tensions, including armed attacks and abductions.
On October 17, unidentified individuals released Louay Fouad Shujaa after holding him captive for two days in Suwayda city, a local source confirmed to Enab Baladi. His abduction had prompted heightened security activity and search operations.
The city also witnessed heavy gunfire at the time following his abduction, amid heightened security tensions.
The local Suwayda 25 network reported that the young man had been found lying on the roadside near the town of Ariqa in the western Suwayda countryside.
Citing sources, the network alleged that the Ariqa Brigade, which belongs to the National Guard affiliated with Druze religious leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, was involved in the abduction in cooperation with Nawras Azzam, a commander in Suwayda’s security office. The main motive behind the abduction remained unknown.
Local sources from the Shujaa family had previously told Enab Baladi that unidentified armed men traveling in a black van intercepted him near the descent to al-Awaj Bridge, west of the city, and abducted him. His car was later found between the towns of Mardak and Salim, north of Suwayda.
Security Breakdown
Suwayda city has experienced widespread lawlessness, with recurring armed clashes, sometimes between civilians and at other times between individuals affiliated with the National Guard, which exercises military control over the city.
These incidents have sometimes resulted in deaths, with several cases recorded across the governorate. They have included direct shootings, criminal incidents stemming from personal disputes, attempted thefts, and acts of retaliation.
In an earlier report, Enab Baladi documented 20 incidents of violence between the beginning of 2026 and May, some of which resulted in deaths or serious injuries. The report was based on testimonies from residents, a journalist, a civil society activist and a lawyer, all of whom requested anonymity for security reasons.
The escalation has not only increased the number of victims but has also created widespread anxiety and fear among residents, who increasingly feel that their safety can no longer be guaranteed and that even minor incidents in their daily lives could escalate into violence.