Damascus, Dec.3 (SANA) Local sources and several media outlets reported Tuesday that Sheikh Maher Falhout was killed under torture in Sweida province, two days after being abducted from his home by an armed group calling itself the so-called “National Guard,” which is affiliated with Hikmat al-Hijri.
Videos circulated on social media show Falhout being taken from his residence by members of the group. Community sources later confirmed that he died as a result of severe torture inside the group’s detention facilities.
Falhout’s killing comes shortly after the murder of Sheikh Raed al-Matni, who was also tortured to death by the same group in Sweida, according to local reports.
The security situation in the province has sharply deteriorated as armed factions linked to foreign agendas attempt to impose control by force, carrying out arrests, intimidation, and the theft of humanitarian aid at checkpoints they claim are for protection. These practices have contributed to a widening security vacuum and rising social instability.
In recent months, Sweida has witnessed a series of abductions and deadly clashes between rival armed groups, underscoring what local figures describe as an urgent need for the swift return of legitimate state institutions to protect civilians, restore order, regulate weapons, and bring an end to the chaos.
