Syrian security member kills 4 civilians in Suwayda
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A member of the security forces of the Syrian transitional government killed on Saturday four people and critically injured another while they were harvesting olives in the village of Almtuneh, north of Suwayda, southern Syria.
The head of the security forces in Suwayda, Hossam Al-Tahhan, said in a statement published by the Ministry of Interior on its official Facebook page that a “tragic crime occurred in the Al-Matouna area of rural Suwayda, targeting five local residents, resulting in the deaths of four and leaving a fifth seriously injured.”
Al-Tahhan added they immediately launched an inquiry to uncover the circumstances of the incident and identify those responsible for what he described as a “cowardly act.”
He said preliminary investigations, conducted in cooperation with one of the survivors of the shooting, indicated that one of the suspects is a member of the local security forces. The suspect was promptly arrested and referred for investigation to complete the necessary legal procedures.
Local sources told the Sweida Documentation and Media Center that an olive-harvesting work crew had obtained prior approval from the security forces to enter areas under its control, before coming under direct gunfire shortly after beginning work, resulting in deaths and injuries.
The Sweida Documentation and Media Center called on the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross to accompany the wounded and ensure they are not exposed to further risks or violations.