DAMASCUS / ISTANBUL 

Two civilians were killed Tuesday in an attack on a passenger bus traveling on the Suwayda–Damascus highway, a Syrian security official said.

“A civilian transport bus on the Suwayda–Damascus Road was targeted in a cowardly terrorist attack that took the lives of two innocent people,” the head of internal security in Suwayda province, Hussam al-Tahan, told the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

In August, the Interior Ministry announced that the Suwayda–Damascus Road had been secured and reopened to civilian and commercial traffic after months of suspension following security unrest in the southern province.

“This heinous crime comes just two days after a deliberate attack targeted civilians and security patrols in the countryside,” Tahan said, blaming “outlaws seeking chaos and destruction in Suwayda.”

“The repeated nature of these attacks confirms that there is one agenda – to undermine stability and spread fear among residents,” he added.

The security official vowed that “these terrorist attempts will not deter security forces from fulfilling their duty,” pledging that investigations would continue “with determination to identify those responsible and prevent further violations.”

Suwayda has observed a ceasefire since July 19 following a weeklong bout of clashes between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes that left hundreds dead.

Since Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in late 2024, Syria’s new administration has taken several measures to restore security in Syria and pursued political and economic reforms, while promoting social cohesion and working to expand cooperation with regional and international partners.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia last December, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. A new transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January.