In Syria’s Druze Heartland, a Massacre Tests the Limits of al-Sharaa's Control
As al-Sharaa’s regime grapples with limited control, sectarian distrust, and competing priorities, the bloodshed in Suwayda demonstrates the daunting challenges facing Syria’s post-Assad leadership.
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A brutal conflict in the Druze-majority province of Suwayda, southern Syria, has exposed the fragile authority of Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, as he struggles to unify a fractured nation. The violence, which erupted on July 12, 2025, after the abduction of a Druze merchant, has escalated into a deadly clash involving Druze militias, Bedouin tribes, and Syrian government forces, leaving at least 248 dead.
The clashes began with tit-for-tat abductions between Druze and Bedouin groups, but the arrival of Syrian forces, ostensibly to restore order, turned Suwayda into a killing field. Reports describe regime troops looting homes, firing rockets at civilian residences, and seizing the local hospital, cutting its power. The Syrian Center for Human Rights Monitoring documented 71 local deaths, including four children and two women, with 21 others executed by security forces. Al-Sharaa, once known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani and the leader of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has failed to halt the violence, raising questions about his ability to govern a diverse nation.
Since taking power in January 2025 after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, al-Sharaa has sought to rebrand himself as a pragmatic leader, pledging to protect minorities like the Druze. A March 2025 agreement granted Suwayda’s Druze locally recruited police forces, a nod to their fierce autonomy. Yet, the community’s distrust of al-Sharaa’s Sunni Islamist roots runs deep, fueled by his group’s jihadist past. When Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, a prominent Druze leader, called for resistance against Syrian troops on July 15, it reflected fears of marginalization under a Sunni-led government. A ceasefire announced that day by Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra collapsed within hours, proving just how weak al-Sharaa’s grip on local factions really is.
Al-Sharaa’s challenges are manifold. Syria’s patchwork of armed groups, Druze militias, Bedouin fighters, and rogue elements within his own forces, resist centralized control. Unverified posts on X allege that his troops have engaged in “humiliation rituals” against Druze, such as shaving their beards, suggesting defiance within his ranks. His broader goal of stabilizing Syria and securing international legitimacy, through talks with American, European, and Arab officials, may take precedence over Suwayda’s crisis. With resources strained by other conflicts, like tensions with Kurds in the northeast, al-Sharaa appears reluctant to deploy heavy force, risking further alienation of the Druze.
Israel’s involvement has further complicated the situation. Citing a “covenant of blood” with its Druze citizens, Israel launched airstrikes on Syrian forces in Suwayda, claiming to protect the minority. Al-Sharaa condemned the strikes, insisting on Syrian sovereignty, but Israel’s actions may embolden Druze militias, undermining his authority. Speculation on X about a secret deal between al-Sharaa and Israel remains unconfirmed but reflects perceptions that he prioritizes geopolitical maneuvering over local stability.
Critics question al-Sharaa’s intentions, pointing to his history of sidelining rivals, like the 2023 jailing of a fellow commander. Some label his forces “Islamic radicals” targeting minorities, though no evidence confirms deliberate anti-Druze aggression. His inaction, however, fuels distrust. In Israel, Druze leaders like Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif have declared a general strike, accusing the government of abandoning their Syrian kin and warning of a “dangerous” rift. As Suwayda burns, al-Sharaa’s faltering response reveals the limits of his power—and the deep scars of Syria’s sectarian divide.