Security campaign in Sweida... accusations of "coup de eta" attempt, storming government building

On Saturday night, the city of Sweida witnessed a large-scale security operation carried out by the National Guard, which included the arrest of at least five people, amid a heavy deployment of its forces on main roads.

ANHA correspondents confirmed the arrest of Raed al-Matni and Assem Abo Fakhr, while videos circulated showing al-Matni being beaten and humiliated during his arrest.

Raed al-Matni is a former commander in one of the factions of the Sweida Military Council, which was formed after the fall of the regime last year, before its role diminished in recent months and its forces joined the National Guard.

During the evening, the arrests continued, targeting several individuals, including Maher Falhout, a close associate of al-Matni, who surrendered after a raid on his home in the town of Atil.

Simultaneously, raids targeted the homes of individuals sources close to the National Guard say have security ties to the Syrian Transitional Government Forces, while the final number of arrests is not yet known.

The National Guard issued an official statement describing what happened as a "despicable conspiracy and high treason," in which a group of "traitors and agents" were accused of coordinating with the Transitional Government in Syria and external parties, with the aim of carrying out a "serious security breach that paves the way for an attack targeting civilians in exchange for money."

The statement added that "the objectives of the conspiracy have been fully uncovered, those involved have been identified, and a swift and precise operation has resulted in the arrest of the traitors and conspirators, who have been handed over to the competent judicial authorities."

Sources close to the National Guard and the Druze religious leadership indicated that the incident was an attempt to storm the government building and police headquarters, carried out by "Gandhi Abo Fakhr and a group affiliated with him, in coordination with Suleiman Abdel-Baqi, with the aim of "overthrowing al-Sheikh al-Hijri."

The sources added that the storming attempt failed after the intervention of the National Guard Forces that were inside the government building, as the attackers were pursued to the main street, and a number of them were arrested.

According to the sources, "control was quickly restored, otherwise the city would have been on the brink of a massacre."

The National Guard also issued another statement, explaining that it had detained two of its members for violating military discipline during the arrest of a group that it said was planning a security operation similar to the events of last July, emphasizing that the investigation would be conducted according to military law and that the institution would not tolerate any behavior that undermines its prestige or violates its instructions.

Since Sunday dawn, a tense security situation and cautious calm have prevailed in Sweida, with heightened security measures in place.