Local factions, government-affiliated groups clash in Syria’s Suwayda
SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – Clashes between local armed factions and Syrian government’s Military Intelligence erupted in Suwayda Governorate in southwest Syria on Tuesday night which resulted in causalities from both parties.
Since July 23, Suwayda has been witnessing a state of unrest amid continuous protests against violations by armed groups affiliated with the government’s Military Intelligence.
The clashes resulted in the killing of three security personnel that ensued the raiding of the house of Raji Falhout, the leader of groups affiliated with Military Security in the village of Atil, north of Suwayda, an eyewitness told North Press
In light of the ongoing clashes Men of Dignity Movement posted, on Tuesday, on its Facebook page, that they had besieged and stormed the house of Falhout in the town of Atil.
The Men of Dignity is a self-defense militia established after the outbreak of the Syrian war to defend the Suwayda area. Described as a terror organization by Russia, it took an initial position against the Syrian government in the early days of the war but did not engage in any armed struggle with government forces.
The protesters continue blocking the Damascus-Suwayda highway since the beginning of tension in Suwayda, on the background of kidnapping civilians from the countryside of Suwayda by the Falhout group.
Ten residents of Suwayda were killed on Tuesday evening in clashes between local armed factions and an armed group affiliated with the Syrian government’s Military Intelligence.
Security tension returned to Suwayda Governorate on Tuesday, a day after it was ended due to the civil mediation interference.
This came after the kidnapping of three university students, from the city of Shahba, on Tuesday, while they were passing a checkpoint on the Shahba-Suwayda road, against the backdrop of tensions in the northern countryside of Suwayda.
Tensions still persist in the villages of Suwayda, while residents fear the deterioration of the security situation further, in light of the absence of the government security services to intervene.