Ten Syrian Government Personnel Wounded in Sweida Clashes, Following Weekend Deaths

Clashes between local armed groups and Syrian government forces in the Druze-majority province of Sweida left ten security personnel wounded on September 1, state media reported, citing the Internal Security Command. Syrian state television said the wounded personnel were targeted by what it called outlaw groups in the Tal Hadid area and Walgha axis. The unrest, which took place on Monday, came after two civilians were killed in similar clashes west of Sweida city on August 30, according to local security sources. A Druze security source told AFP that a shell launched Sunday from a government-controlled area targeted the outskirts of Sweida, striking a tractor and killing two people on board. The escalation continues a pattern of tensions between Druze armed groups and government-aligned forces in southern Syria that intensified over the weekend. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that government forces and Druze armed groups had been exchanging fire since Saturday night. Tensions have been high in Sweida since clashes between Druze and government-aligned forces last year led to some of the worst communal violence since the fall of Assad. The area remains under the control of local Druze groups, but government checkpoints and positions surround the province.