The attackers began by assaulting defensive positions in the city. When they depleted their ammunition, they detonated their explosive vests. The
Syrian Arab News Agency reported two separate suicide attacks in Suweida, with security forces killing two other attackers before they could blow themselves up, and arresting another inside Suwaida General Hospital. Groups of militants also attacked areas in the
Al-Mushannaf nahiyah in a coordinated assault and four villages (
Ash-Shbeki,
Rami, Ghethet-Hamael and
Tarba), gaining temporary control of several settlements, slaughtered families in their houses and seizing hostages. Local people gathered and defended their villages with simple weapons and retook the villages without support of governmental forces. A substantial number of Druze militias were involved in driving the ISIL forces back, most notably the
Men of Dignity movement and the
Al-Jabal Brigade, one of whose sub-commanders (
Sheikh Abu Mu'annis Nabil Saymu'a) was killed during the fighting. The
SSNP and its armed wing,
Eagles of the Whirlwind, also aided the local pro-government defenders, whilst the
Syrian Army arrived in the area two days after the combat had ended. An independent Druze militia, called Bayrat Quwat al-Fahad, was also involved in defending against the attacks. According to Enab Baladi, the Syrian Army defended multiple towns, including al-Sharihi and Shabki. A suicide bombing in a vegetable market in the capital of the province, Suwayda, resulted in at least 38 casualties. Following the attack, three captured ISIL fighters were publicly hanged by the angry local Druze people in the provincial capital. ==Casualties==