Syria on the brink: Disarming minorities without protection risks fragmentation

Ya Libnan

03-05-2025

File: A Druze woman holds up a sign reading 'no to sectarianism, long live a free and unified Syria' at a demonstration in southern Syria's Druze-majority Suwayda province, 3/1/2025 (Suwayda 24)
By Ya Libnan Editorial Board
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has been calling on the country's armed minorities to hand over their weapons to the state. But what state is he referring to? Syria no longer has a functioning national army. Instead, its so-called security forces are a patchwork of Islamic extremists, many of them foreign fighters brought in from across the Islamic world.
How can Syria's minorities—particularly the Druze and Alawites—trust a regime that cannot protect them? Who will shield them from the extremists once they are disarmed? Unless things change dramatically, Syria is heading toward fragmentation.
The Druze and Alawite communities have already come under repeated attack. Hundreds have been killed. Despite this, President Sharaa continues to insist that minorities must disarm.
Yesterday, prominent Druze leader Walid Jumblatt visited Damascus to urge President Sharaa to reconsider. Jumblatt made it clear: the Druze are not opposed to handing over their arms. But they need a real army—a national, unified military force—not militias and extremist groups masquerading as state security. Without this, disarming would be suicidal.
Jumblatt's visit follows a powerful and unified statement from Druze community leaders, spiritual authorities, and prominent figures in Sweida. Speaking in the name of 'the spiritual leadership of the Druze community, its religious authorities, dignitaries, and the community at large,' they affirmed that the Druze are an integral part of a united Syria and reject any plans for division or separation.
Their statement stressed an unwavering commitment to a Syria that includes all Syrians—free from destructive strife, sectarianism, personal grudges, or tribal vengeance, which they rightly described as legacies of ignorance. The Druze community has long played a decisive role in Syria's history. In 1925, Druze leader Sultan Pasha al-Atrash led the Great Syrian Revolt against French colonial rule, paving the way for Syrian independence. The Druze have historically been pillars of Syrian nationalism and unity.
Their continued persecution would not only betray their historical contribution but also risk pushing them to the brink of secession. As Syria edges closer to collapse, sectarian tensions and foreign interference threaten to tear the country apart.
Meanwhile, Syria's neighbors are watching—and exploiting—the chaos. Israel and Turkey are both actively seeking strategic gains from the weakening of the Syrian state. Iran, too, has long worked to shape Syria's future to suit its own regional ambitions. These powers have a vested interest in a fragmented Syria.
If President Sharaa fails to act quickly and decisively to protect the country's minorities and rebuild a national army, Syria may be lost. The cost of inaction is not just political—it is existential. The failure to safeguard Syria's diverse communities could lead to irreversible fragmentation and fulfill the long-standing ambitions of foreign powers seeking to divide the country once and for all.