Armed group in Syria's Suwayda takes governor hostage

22/5/2025 6:18

An armed group briefly held

the governor of Syria's Suwayda province hostage at the town

hall on Wednesday, demanding and securing the release of an

imprisoned associate, Syria's Information Ministry said in a

statement.



The assailants stormed the government building at gunpoint,

sealed its gates, and detained Governor Mustafa Al-Bakour, along

with employees and security guards, the ministry stated.



Later on, the prisoner, who was previously convicted of

stealing several vehicles, was released for the safety of the

hostages.



Suwayda is a predominantly Druze area in southwestern Syria.

The Druze are an Arabic-speaking religious minority with

communities in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the Israeli-occupied

Golan Heights, often connected by a web of kinship ties.