Chaos and lawlessness continue to grip Syria’s southern Suwayda province as armed groups affiliated with the National Guard militia face mounting accusations of corruption, violent abuses and criminal activity.
The latest incidents have intensified concerns among residents over the growing influence of the militia, which formed in August 2025 through the merger of several local armed factions aligned with Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri.
On May 5, fighting erupted in central Suwayda city between rival factions linked to the National Guard, according to local outlet Suwayda 24. The clashes began after members of the Saraya al-Jabal faction detained an armed man affiliated with another National Guard group led by Jala Abu Daqqa over accusations of vehicle theft.
The confrontation quickly escalated into an exchange of gunfire near the National Hospital, Fursan Square and the National Guard headquarters. Local reports said both sides involved in the fighting belonged to the militia structure itself, underscoring the fragmented and volatile nature of armed authority in the province.
Residents reported heavy gunfire in densely populated neighborhoods while tensions continued for hours. The violence added to growing fears that competing armed factions now operate with limited oversight while exercising increasing influence over security and economic activity in the province.
Civilian Disputes Turn Violent
Another incident days later highlighted concerns over armed behavior by militia members in civilian areas. According to Suwayda 24, two National Guard members sustained gunshot wounds after a dispute with a homeowner west of the Ain al-Zaman shrine in Suwayda city.
The injured men, identified as Shadi Fawzi Al-Ghadban, 30, and Laith Fawzi Fahd, 25, reportedly accompanied a woman to move furniture while wearing military uniforms and carrying rifles. A local source told Suwayda 24 that homeowner Rami Fahd objected to the armed men entering the residence with weapons.
The argument escalated after the two men allegedly fired shots inside the courtyard and toward the walls of the house. Fahd then returned fire, injuring both men. One reportedly suffered serious wounds before both were transferred to the National Hospital in Suwayda for treatment.
The incident fueled criticism from residents who accuse militia factions of increasingly reckless conduct and intimidation in civilian spaces. The National Guard originally announced its formation as a force tasked with protecting border regions and desert areas. However, critics have raised concerns the group functions as an alternative military structure outside the authority of Syria’s central institutions.
Criminal and Corruption Allegations
Accusations of corruption and ties to organized crime have also expanded in recent weeks. On May 7, local sources told Suwayda 24 members of a temporary checkpoint affiliated with National Guard commander Abu Sand Badi Rashid intercepted a vehicle driven by Taysir Saymuqa on the Kfar-Salkhad road in southern Suwayda. Saymuqa, brother of Faris Saymuqa, who local sources describe as one of the province’s most prominent figures accused of drug trafficking and smuggling.
The checkpoint reportedly discovered approximately 50 helium cylinders inside the vehicle, which sources said are commonly used in drug smuggling operations involving hot air balloons crossing into Jordan.
According to Suwayda 24, Faris Saymuqa contacted senior National Guard figures, including Brig. Gen. Jihad al-Ghutani and members of the militia’s security office, offering money in exchange for his brother’s release.
Local sources alleged that Taysir Saymuqa secured his release after paying $50,000, with the funds allegedly distributed among militia commanders and checkpoint personnel. The same sources claimed a cover story was circulated suggesting the cylinders were “harmless oxygen containers” transported from factories near Damascus.
Criminal Networks Continue Operating
Separate security operations in rural Suwayda also revealed ongoing concerns about kidnapping and vehicle theft networks operating across the province. Syrian Internal Security Forces announced the arrest of Hatim Nasr, 29, from western rural Suwayda on accusations related to kidnapping, robbery and vehicle dismantling operations.
Authorities said investigators found videos and photographs on his mobile phone allegedly documenting abuses committed during violent events in Suwayda last Summer. Security forces also arrested Iyad Khalil Dawara, 52, while he allegedly drove a stolen Toyota vehicle inside the province.
According to investigators, Dawara admitted involvement in smuggling stolen vehicles into Suwayda and forging official documents for them. Authorities said the case also exposed connections with individuals operating between Suwayda and the Damascus suburb of Jaramana.
The continuing incidents reinforce concerns among many residents that armed factions, criminal groups and informal security structures increasingly dominate public life in Suwayda amid weak institutional oversight and persistent instability.
