On Monday, 22 December 2025, two young men from the Druze community were killed in the town of Atil, located in the countryside of Suwayda Governorate, as a result of shelling that struck the town.
The two victims are Hamada al-Khatib and Qais al-Zar‘ouni, both from the Druze community. Information circulated via accounts loyal to the interim authority reported that the two young men were armed, after photos were published showing them carrying weapons, with an indication of their affiliation with the “National Guard forces.”
According to the available information, forces of the interim authority carried out an attack on the town of Atil using mortar shells described as indiscriminate. The shelling resulted in the killing of the two young men, in addition to several injuries among civilians and damage to residents’ private property inside the town.
With the outbreak of clashes between groups from the “National Guard” and forces of the interim authority on several axes, the killing of members of the interim authority’s forces and the injury of others was also recorded.
This incident comes within the context of the escalation of acts of violence in al-Suwayda Governorate, which had witnessed in July 2025 a dangerous wave of violations, including killings, kidnappings, and assaults against civilians, following an attack launched by the interim authority forces affiliated with “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.” These events contributed to deepening the fears of local residents, particularly members of the Druze community, regarding the continued deterioration of the security situation and the recurrence of violations against civilians.
