ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – A member of the Syrian internal security forces in Suwayda was arrested on Saturday in relation to the murder of four civilians in the Druze-majority province, Syrian state media reported, with tensions between government forces and locals remaining unabated following a spate of sectarian violence in 2025.

Head of Suwayda's internal security Hussam al-Tahhan told Syrian state media that initial investigations "pointed to a member of the Internal Security Directorate in the area as a suspect," adding that the alleged perpetrator has been arrested and referred for questioning and legal procedures.

Four people were killed and another seriously wounded in the incident.

The incident adds to a tally of recorded oppressive behavior toward minorities by forces affiliated with Damascus. Sectarian clashes erupted in July between the Druze and Damascus-backed Bedouin tribesmen in Suwayda, killing over 1,600, including more than 700 individuals in Suwayda, most of whom were Druze, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanded an end to "the rape and slaughter of innocent people" during the turmoil, asserting that "[the Syrian government] must hold accountable and bring to justice anyone guilty of atrocities, including those in their own ranks."

Tahham called on the people of Suwayda to exercise restraint, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), stressing that justice will take its course to ensure that such violations will not be repeated and "that the perpetrators are held accountable, regardless of their affiliation."

The call for calm comes after SANA reported Thursday that three internal security forces personnel were injured during clashes with local armed groups.

Druze political components have repeatedly called for a federal government system where all religious and ethnic groups are represented, a demand firmly rejected by the Damascus government that has maintained a centralized stance since its rise to power.

The Syrian government's actions toward minorities have raised concerns regarding the treatment of Syrian components under the country's new rule.

In addition to the Druze, Syria's Alawites and Kurds have also been subjected to episodes of bloodshed at the hands of Damascus-affiliated forces, with a March confrontation leading to the death of 1,400 in Latakia, most of them Alawites, while the country's Kurdish-held areas were the target of an offensive that spanned the better part of January.