Escalation of Violations Against Druze Civilians in Suwayda: Cases of Disappearance and Arbitrary Detention During Travel to Damascus, and Victims of Explosions and Violence
During March 18 and 19, 2026, the Suwayda Governorate in southern Syria witnessed a marked escalation in human rights violations against civilians, particularly members of the Druze community. These violations included cases of enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention during transit to the capital, Damascus, in addition to civilian casualties resulting from landmine explosions and armed violence in various parts of the countryside.
Local sources documented the loss of contact with a young man, Mohammad Salman Sawan, a resident of Suwayda city, after he headed to Damascus to obtain a passport. His family stated that the last contact with him was on Wednesday at 12:00 PM. No confirmed information regarding his fate is available as of the time of this report, amid unconfirmed indications suggesting his possible arrest.
In a related context, repeated cases of arbitrary detention targeting young Druze men were recorded during the same period while they were en route to Damascus, without regard for age or other considerations. Among these cases was the detention of Rayan Hatem Nader (21 years old) on March 10, 2026, while traveling from Suwayda to Damascus to collect his passport from the Immigration and Passports Department.
Furthermore, local sources reported the detention of three young men from the town of Dhibin in southwestern Suwayda: Fidaa Ghassan Habra, Mahdi Riyad Gharzeddine, and Waleem Ghabra. They were taken on the road connecting their towns to the Daraa countryside and transported to the city of Busra al-Sham, without any official clarification of the grounds for their detention.
Mass Detentions at Checkpoints:
On March 18, 2026, 12 cases of detention were recorded in a single day, most of which occurred at the Al-Matouna checkpoint located on the Damascus-Suwayda road. According to information, the checkpoint intensified security measures since the morning hours, conducting what were described as selective stop-and-detain operations against civilians.
Among the detainees whose names have been documented:
Zouhair Douqan Al-Hussein (Duma village)
Amjad Nayef Al-Halh and Adham Rikan Fayyad (Mafa’ala village)
Mithqal Ishti and two of his relatives (Suwayda city – names unidentified)
Najib Nabih Amer (Walgha village)
Additionally, Samer Abu Fakhr (Qurassa village) was detained for several hours before being subsequently released. Data indicates that while some detentions were temporary, the fate of several others remains unknown at the time of writing.
Victims of Mines and Hostilities:
In a separate incident, two young men, Nabih Salam Nasr (38 years old) and Osama Salman Ghiyath Nasr (37 years old), both from the town of Najran in the western Suwayda countryside, were killed by a landmine explosion while plowing agricultural land northwest of the town. Both died instantly at the scene.
Additionally, Sulaiman Al-Shaibani and Ayham Naqour were killed during clashes that broke out on the evening of Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in the vicinity of Bard village, southwest of Suwayda.
According to local sources, Damascus government forces targeted civilian areas with drones and missiles, resulting in material damage and injuries among civilians, including women.
Legal Conclusion: These events reflect an escalating pattern of violations, including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and the indirect targeting of civilians. The absence of clear official information regarding the fate of many detainees and missing persons raises serious concerns for their safety and necessitates an independent investigation to ensure accountability and the protection of civilians.
