Analysis // Syria’s DruzeSyrian Druze facing uncertain future
The broad retreat of the pro-government forces in Syria in the face of increasingly more effective attacks by both Islamic State and moderate anti-regime rebels, have placed the Druze in Syria in a difficult position. The disintegration of the Syria military has forced the regime to abandon areas it regards as less essential to the future of the Alawite community, to which the Assad family belongs. The realization that Syrian government forces are no longer capable of, or interested in, defending them, has triggered urgent debates among Druze leaders about how best to protect the interests – and lives — of the half million Druze who live in Syria. Some Druze leaders still advocate staying close to the Assad regime, which traditionally has been hospitable to the Druze, but the majority of the Druze in Syria – and, importantly, the Druze leadership in Lebanon – are calling on the Druze in Syria to reach out to Sunni insurgents in an effort to reach an accommodation with them in anticipation of a post-Assad Syria. There are also Druze leaders who call for members of the community to mobilize and create a Druze militia in order to repel the approaching Sunni rebels. The Israeli government and military, however, have this week quietly decided not to use, or threaten to use, military force to defend the Druze. If ISIS fighters take the lead in pushing into areas heavily populated by Druze, and if the militants exhibit the same murderous tendencies toward the Druze that they showed in Iraq toward the Yezidis and others, then a humanitarian catastrophe will be unfolding on Israel’s doorstep, forcing Israel to make decisions it has so far resisted.
The broad retreat of the pro-government forces in Syria in the face of increasingly more effective attacks by both Islamic State and moderate anti-regime rebels, have placed the Druze in Syria in a difficult position.
In north-west Syria, Druze towns and villages have been attacked by al Qaeda-affiliated militants of the Nusra front, while in two provinces in southern Syria, forces from both a moderate rebel coalition and Islamic State have pushed the Assad military out of its main military bases in the area, and are advancing toward the main Druze towns and villages in the region.
The Druze are facing danger on three fronts.
- In the south, the newly formed coalition of rebels, the Southern Front, has gained a major victory over Assad forces by capturing a large military base situated near the road from Dara’a to Damascus. The base was home to the 52nd Brigade of the Syrian army.
- The Southern From forces have been moving east toward Jabl Druze, and earlier this week captured a military airbase there.
- ISIS forces are closing in on Jabl Druze from the east.
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Also read:
Endgame in Syria: Assad forces in retreat as rebels increase pressure, 20 May 2015
Russia distancing itself from a weakening Assad, 1 June 2015
U.S. charges Syria helping ISIS advance on Aleppo, Turkish border crossings, 2 June 2015
Israeli strike in Syria kills Hezbollah commanders, six Iranian officers, 19 January 2015
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The realization that Syrian government forces are no longer capable of, or interested in, defending them, has triggered urgent debates among Druze leaders about how best to protect the interests – and lives — of the half million Druze who live in Syria. Some Druze leaders still advocate staying close to the Assad regime, which traditionally has been hospitable to the Druze, but the majority of the Druze in Syria – and, importantly, the Druze leadership in Lebanon – are calling on the Druze in Syria to reach out to Sunni insurgents in an effort to reach an accommodation with them in anticipation of a post-Assad Syria.
There are also Druze leaders who call for members of the community to mobilize and create a Druze militia in order to repel the approaching Sunni rebels.
