Eurasia Press & News
A Druze poet and activist who has previously criticised local separatist militias has been shot dead in the east of Syria’s Suweida province
A poet and political activist critical of local authorities was killed in Syria’s Druze-majority Suweida province on Sunday night by unknown assailants.
It is believed that 48-year-old Anwar Fawzat Al-Shaer was killed due to his criticism of local militias, which control the province.
The assassination comes amid growing complaints about the security situation in the province, which has been outside Syrian government control for months.
Local news network said that Al-Shaer was shot by unknown gunmen outside his home in the village of Bousan, in the east of Suweida province. He sustained serious injuries that later led to his death.
The Suweida Press local news network said that neighbours had rushed out late at night after hearing gunfire and found the poet wounded by three bullets, one of them to the head.
They immediately transported him to Suweida National Hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival.
Al-Shaer’s brother wrote on Facebook, “In a cowardly and treacherous operation, the martyr of the word of truth, Anwar Fawzat Al-Shaer, the free national revolutionary poet, was assassinated in front of his home.”
He vowed revenge for the incident, saying: “I will not rest until we repay in kind everyone who incited, pushed for, and carried out this act.”
Al-Shaer had served as the head of the Bousan municipality since the beginning of the year. His last social media post contained criticism of local armed factions, describing them as being linked to security agencies of the regime of former dictator Bashar al-Assad, who was deposed in December 2024.
Sectarian violence broke out in Suweida in July 2025 between the province’s Druze majority and mostly Sunni Bedouin tribes. Syrian government forces intervened but were accused of worsening the situation and committing crimes against Druze civilians on a sectarian basis.
Israel also intervened against Syrian government forces under the pretext of “protecting” the Druze, and government forces withdrew.
Since then, local militias, loyal to Druze religious leader Hikmat al-Hijri, have controlled the province. They have expressed appreciation for Israel as well as a desire to separate from Syria, but this has been opposed by many Druze.
Earlier this month, two Druze religious leaders were killed after being detained by pro-Hijri militias, who accused them of taking part in a “conspiracy” backed by the Damascus government.
