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| The Struggle for Suwayda: Were the clashes in early July 2026 the National Guard’s response to al-Sharaa’s political move? |
| 2026-07-09 |
| by Dana Polak [ISRAEL-ALMA.ORG] Just two days after President Ahmad al-Sharaa appointed two representatives from Suwayda Governorate to the Syrian Parliament (for further reading, see: “Suwayda’s Representation in Parliament: The Politics of Appointments Amid a Crisis of Trust“), violent clashes erupted between the regime’s security forces and the (Druze) National Guard in the Tal al-Hadid area, west of the city of Suwayda (July 3, 2026). The focal point of the fighting was the Tal al-Hadid outpost, one of the regime’s Internal Security positions established as part of the ceasefire arrangements following the Suwayda crisis in the summer of 2025. The outpost controls the western entrance to the city, the road leading to al-Tha’la Airbase, and several key transportation routes. As such, it constitutes one of the regime’s most important control points in the governorate. According to the Syrian Ministry of Interior, National Guard forces opened fire on Internal Security positions at the outpost and attempted a ground advance but were repelled. In contrast, local sources in Suwayda refrained from determining which side initiated the fighting and described the incident as part of the continuing cycle of clashes between the two sides. At this stage, it is not possible to determine conclusively who initiated the confrontation. The clashes continued for several hours and involved the use of heavy machine guns, medium weapons, and mortars. In addition, there were reports that the regime’s forces employed explosive drones. According to the reports, one of the drones struck a military position of Rawad Abdul Khalek, commander of the National Guard’s Rapid Intervention Battalion, wounding him. The clashes did not end after the fighting at Tal al-Hadid. On July 6, the Syrian Parliament convened for its first session following the swearing-in of its members, including the two representatives from Suwayda appointed by al-Sharaa. The following day, July 7, reports indicated continued reinforcement of regime forces in the Tal al-Hadid area, along with sporadic exchanges of fire. The close timing between the political developments and the continued friction on the ground illustrates that the struggle over Suwayda is being fought not only on the military front, but also over the question of the governorate’s legitimacy and representation. More at the link Related: Suwayda Governorate: 2025-02-09 'Soon we'll be free and ISIS will be revived': Jihadi brides' threat to the West as Syrian prison camp guards admit the 40,000 inmates are on verge of freedom and Islamic State could return 'in just days' Suwayda Governorate: 2025-02-06 Good Morning Suwayda Governorate: 2025-01-03 Druze militias deny HTS fighters access to Suwayda: Reports |
| Posted by:badanov |