Three highway officers killed in Syria's south in 12 days

Syrian government forces have suffered fresh casualties in the country's south over the past two weeks. A highway security officer was killed and another wounded on October 25 when gunmen attacked a checkpoint in the Busra al-Sham area of eastern Daraa province. The Internal Security Forces said specialized units exchanged fire with the attackers and arrested them. Investigations into the motives for the attack are ongoing.

This incident followed a deadly ambush on October 13. Three highway security officers died when their patrol was hit on the Salamiyah-Athriya road in eastern Hama province. The deaths have added to a growing list of security incidents in a region that was a starting point for the 2011 uprising against the Assad regime.

The southern provinces are currently facing multiple pressure points. In neighboring Suwayda, armed groups closed the main highway to Damascus on Saturday. The road was blocked in both directions at the Um al-Zaytoun checkpoint. Qutaiba Azzam, director of media relations at the Suwayda Media Department, confirmed that the groups stopped traffic. About 100 employees were prevented from reaching work earlier in the week. Students had also been blocked from leaving to sit national exams.

Tensions in Suwayda have been rising since July 2025. Druze authorities accuse the government of complicity in a massacre that killed more than 1,000 people that month. They also rejected remarks by US Envoy Tom Barrack, who described the area as a hub for drug smuggling. On October 18, Suwayda Governor Mustafa al-Bakour warned of worsening security and difficult living conditions. He accused armed groups of kidnappings and threats.

Near the capital, security forces are battling suspected Islamic State cells. Two Internal Security Forces members were killed and five wounded in an operation in Rankous, 45 kilometers north of Damascus. The forces said the suspects refused to surrender and opened fire. Five suspected ISIS members were killed and six were arrested. Weapons and explosive belts were seized during the raid. The General Intelligence Service participated in the operation.

This operation followed an announcement on October 16. Authorities said they had foiled an alleged ISIS plot against a police patrol in the Damascus countryside. Two people were arrested, and an explosive device was seized. A report from the Lead Inspector General for Operation Inherent Resolve, dated August 27, noted that ISIS attacks decreased after US forces withdrew in April. However, the report added that attacks on Syrian government forces continued.

The southern region is also a focal point for border disputes. Israel has demanded that southern Syria be demilitarized. Under this proposal, Syria would deploy only lightly armed Interior Ministry forces in the area. Israeli patrols have entered villages in the region, and a Syrian was killed last week, leading to protests. Israeli raids continue along the border.

The government views the armed factions in the south as outlaw groups. However, local communities often see the central authority with suspicion. The Druze area in Suwayda operates outside full government control and has sought varying degrees of independence. Daraa, while generally supportive of Damascus, has experienced many mysterious killings between 2018 and 2024. Some of these deaths were linked to local feuds.

The security environment in the south is fragmented. The attacks in Daraa, Suwayda, and near Damascus are not necessarily linked, but they occur simultaneously. The government is attempting to consolidate control without provoking new confrontations with local communities. The next step in this process remains unclear as investigations into the October 25 checkpoint attack continue.