According to Enab Baladi, National Guard forces backed by Sheikh al-Hijri launched arrests in the southern Syrian province beginning Friday evening, November 28. The detainees include two prominent Druze sheikhs, Raed al-Metni and Marwan Rizk, along with Asim Abu Fakhr, Ghandi Abu Fakhr, and another individual from the al-Safadi family. The local network Suwayda 24 confirmed the total number of detainees stands at five.
Disturbing videos circulated on social media showing alleged scenes of torture and humiliation of Sheikh al-Metni, including the shaving of his moustache and verbal abuse. The National Guard deployed checkpoints at main entrances and roads throughout the province in parallel with the arrest campaign.
While the National Guard has not issued any official clarification regarding the motives for the arrests, accounts supportive of the armed formation claimed the detainees were planning a coup attempt against Sheikh al-Hijri. Maher Sharaf al-Din, a media figure close to al-Hijri, alleged that those detained had been planning security operations including assassinations, car bombings, and the planting of explosive devices in crowded public places.
Relatives of one detainee told Suwayda 24 they were surprised by the news and were attempting to determine the reasons behind the arrests, noting that the motives remain unclear.
The National Guard is an armed formation announced on August 23 with the blessing of Sheikh al-Hijri, unifying several factions operating in Suwayda. Its creation followed more than a month of tensions between local factions and both government forces and Bedouin tribes.
The Suwayda events began on July 12 when mutual kidnappings occurred between residents of the predominantly Bedouin al-Maqous neighborhood and members of the Druze community, escalating into armed clashes the following day. The Syrian government's intervention on July 14 was accompanied by violations against Druze civilians, prompting armed responses from local factions.
Government forces withdrew from Suwayda on July 16 following Israeli airstrikes. A subsequent US-mediated agreement between the Syrian government and Israel halted military operations, though limited clashes have continued with both sides accusing the other of ceasefire violations.
On November 25, local factions targeted an Internal Security checkpoint in the western Suwayda countryside, killing one security member and wounding two others. The National Guard responded by issuing a statement accusing "gangs affiliated with the Damascus government" of breaching the truce using drones and heavy weapons, claiming the attack killed one civilian and caused several injuries.
As protesters carried Druze flags in al-Karama Square on November 26, the arrest campaign has further inflamed tensions in a region already struggling with fragile security arrangements. The situation underscores the complex dynamics between religious leadership, armed factions, and government forces in Syria's Druze heartland.