Cautious calm in Suweida after 10 Syrian security members wounded in clashes with Al-Hijri's National Guard militia

Cautious calm returned to areas west of Suweida city on Tuesday morning, 1 September 2026, after clashes broke out on Monday night between the Syrian government's Internal Security Forces and a Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri-run militia known as the "National Guard".

The clashes resulted in the death of Rami Hilal Nofal, a member of the "National Guard", and wounded several security personnel.

The Internal Security Command in Suwayda province said in comments carried by Syria's state Al-Ikhbariya TV early Tuesday that at least 10 members of the Syrian security forces were injured after a militia it described as "outlaws" attacked security positions in the Tal Hadid area and along the Walgah axis.

The militia used mortar shells and heavy machine guns in their attacks and also directly targeted a pickup truck belonging to the Internal Security Forces.

There are reports of civilians wounded also in the vicinity.

This latest development occurs amid growing tensions across Suweida province since 29 August, which coincided with the start of exceptional examinations approved under a presidential decree and checkpoints operated by factions of the "National Guard" prevented hundreds of students from travelling to their government-run examination centres in the Suweida countryside.

The move led to widespread confrontations and altercations between residents and those operating the checkpoint.

Meanwhile, local media outlets circulated video footage showing "National Guard" members attacking security forces' positions with mortar shells.

The security forces responded by hitting positions belonging to the groups along the Rima Hazem and Al-Mansoura axes, west of the city.

The clashes come amid a series of armed incidents in recent days—most notably, in which two young men were injured on Sunday by gunfire from a "National Guard" checkpoint at Al-Anqoud roundabout after they objected to being prevented from travelling to Damascus International Airport. The incident triggered a protests among community groups in the town of Mimas.

Prior to this incident, there was an attack on a wedding hall in Suweida City Friday evening, in which the Al-Murshid family accused Ghaith Al-Qantar, a commander in the security office affiliated with Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, of opening fire and using rocket-propelled shells to intimidate those present. The attack caused injuries among civilians and prompted the family to demand that he be held accountable.

Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here.