Large fatalities recorded in Syria's Suweida, Sahnaya clashes: Sources
5 Min Read
Sources tell Al Mayadeen that over 40 were killed in Suweida and 15 in Sahnaya amid reported field executions.
-
Members of Syria's security forces stand guard at a checkpoint in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya near Damascus, on May 1, 2025 (AFP)
A large number of fatalities have been documented as a result of ongoing clashes in Syria, with the death toll in Suweida alone exceeding 40, in addition to several missing persons, local sources told Al Mayadeen on Thursday.
In Sahnaya and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, 15 fatalities have been recorded, including five individuals who were killed in field executions, according to the same sources.
Rampant field executions, abuse
The sources added that five field executions have been documented so far, the latest being that of the mayor, Hossam Warwar, and his son Haidar.
Warwar had appeared in a video aired by Syria TV welcoming the General Security Forces, only to be killed after those forces disarmed the Druze residents in the area.
Al Mayadeen's sources also reported that members of the security forces documented their own abuses in Sahnaya and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya through videos, in which they appeared insulting detainees.
They also recorded scenes of verbal abuse, forced head-shaving, insults, and mockery.
According to the sources, the current situation in Sahnaya and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya is “less horrific than portrayed,” while confirming that violations, harassment, and provocations continue.
They also affirmed that all five documented field executions occurred after the General Security Forces had entered the area.
Local sources also said that Leith al-Balous, a senior figure in the Rijal al-Karama (Men of Dignity) movement in Suweida, survived an assassination attempt.
Meanwhile, Syria TV reported that unknown gunmen attacked a Ministry of Defense outpost in the al-Quriyah desert, east of Deir Ezzor, taking advantage of the ongoing dust storm in the area.
Read more: ‘Israel’ admits role in Syria clashes under ‘protecting Druze’ pretext
Druze in Syria call for international protection amid rising violence
The spiritual leader of the Druze in Syria, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, has issued an urgent appeal for international protection following a series of deadly attacks in Suweida and rural Damascus, accusing government-backed militias of perpetrating massacres against his community.
In a public address on Thursday, Sheikh al-Hijri declared, “Requesting international protection is a legitimate right of the people when they are being annihilated by massacres.” He called on international organizations to act immediately to prevent further bloodshed, warning that continued silence would only enable further atrocities.
The appeal follows two days of violence in the Suweida countryside, where armed clashes and killings have left numerous people dead. Al-Hijri said the incidents reflect a broader campaign of targeted violence against the Druze in Syria, comparing them to past massacres on the Syrian coast.
'No trust in the government'
Al-Hijri condemned the Syrian government, stating that it no longer holds the trust of its people. “We no longer trust an entity that claims to be a government, a government does not slaughter its people through its own extremist militias,” he stressed.
He went on to denounce what he described as a state-sponsored campaign of sectarian violence. “They are mere instruments of death, bloodshed, kidnapping, and the distortion of truth through sectarian and takfiri thinking,” he added.
The Druze leader emphasized that his community has never operated as a militia and does not engage in violence, describing the recent killings as part of an "unjustified genocide campaign."
Sectarian killings escalate in Suweida countryside
Al-Hijri's comments come amid growing concern over sectarian violence in Syria, particularly in the Suweida region, where the Druze community has historically maintained a degree of autonomy and neutrality.
According to local reports, heavily armed groups linked to Syrian government militias have attacked unarmed civilians in what al-Hijri described as coordinated massacres. He accused the attackers of acting under a takfiri ideology that targets not only minorities but also moderate Sunni Muslims.
