'Our arms are our dignity': Druze leaders reject Damascus disarmament order

Shafaq News

04-05-2025

Shafaq News/ Druze religious leaders in Syria's Suwayda province rejected government calls to disarm local fighters and insisted that all security appointments in the region be made exclusively from among its residents.
In a joint statement issued Saturday, the leadership of the Druze community reaffirmed decisions made at a high-level meeting. The group emphasized its refusal to hand over weapons, declaring: 'Our arms are our dignity.'
They also called for the full activation of the Ministry of Interior and the judicial police in Suwayda, but stressed that enforcement must remain under local control. 'The role of the judicial police is restricted to the sons of the province, in coordination with the three Sheikhs of Reason, the governor of Suwayda, and the Interior Ministry,' the statement read.
The leaders denied rumors that the General Security Directorate would deploy forces from outside the province, stating such claims were 'baseless.' They urged the Druze community to show restraint and accuracy in public messaging, emphasizing unity and social responsibility.
Earlier today, Suwayda Governor Mustafa al-Bakour echoed these sentiments, saying that security efforts were being led by the people of Suwayda in cooperation with religious authorities. 'Several of Suwayda's youths have joined the General Security to contribute to organizing internal security and activating the role of institutions,' he said in an interview with Syria Today TV.
Al-Bakour emphasized that while the state seeks to regulate weapons possession—requiring licenses or official affiliation with security forces—he recognized the statement issued by Druze leaders as a legitimate expression of local consensus. 'The statement was agreed upon by all attendees,' he confirmed.
The governor also dismissed any suggestions of foreign backing for the initiative, noting that the Druze clerics had explicitly rejected external interference and reiterated their loyalty to Syrian national unity.
The developments follow several days of heightened tension in southern Syria. On Tuesday, violence erupted in the Druze-majority suburbs of Jaramana and Sahnaya, near Damascus, after an audio recording circulated allegedly featuring a Druze man making derogatory comments about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The incident sparked clashes between Druze fighters and General Security forces, which quickly spread to towns across Suwayda.