Tensions escalate as armed groups target Druze towns in south Syria
SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – Unidentified armed groups attacked on Sunday evening two Druze towns in the western countryside of Suwayda in southern Syria.
The attack on the Druze towns of Thaala and al-Dara, south of Suwaday, was seen an escalation that coincided with the implementation of a new local security agreement in southern Syria.
Local sources told North Press that the assailants used mortars, heavy machine guns, and anti-tank guided missiles, targeting the town of Thaala.
The assault triggered armed clashes between the attackers and local residents and factions defending the area, the sources said.
The incident occurred just hours after authorities announced the start of an agreement between the Syrian transitional government and Druze community leaders, aimed at strengthening internal security in Suwayda by deploying local security forces and judicial police drawn from the governorate itself.
Residents expressed outrage and alarm over the timing and intensity of the attack, interpreting it as an attempt to sow discord and undermine community stability.
Tensions escalated further following the circulation of images showing young men guarding the Grand Mosque in central Suwayda, amid unsubstantiated rumors accusing local factions of closing mosques and preventing worshippers from entering.
In a related development, the assault on the nearby village of al-Dara prompted many of its residents to flee their homes out of fear that the violence would intensify.
Sources on the ground described the attacks as an apparent effort to disrupt the fragile peace in the region just as Suwayda embarks on a community-led security initiative—a move seen by many as a step toward local autonomy and the restoration of civil order following years of unrest and neglect.