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Irish Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Rising Sunni populism threatens hopes of rebuilding Syria
When Zain and dozens of other civil society activists staged a sit-in outside Damascus 's shuttered parliament to protest against sectarian violence in southern Syria last month, they were first insulted by passers-by, then attacked. Young men carrying wooden sticks descended upon the group, according to multiple people present, accusing them of defending 'traitors' from Sweida's Druze community , which was embroiled in clashes with Sunni Bedouin tribes and government forces that killed hundreds of people. 'The youths who attacked us kept shouting 'We are not Syrians, we are tribes',' Zain said, describing how they tore up protesters' signs that included slogans such as 'Syrian blood on Syrian hands is forbidden'. 'They kept yelling . . . [we are] 'Sunnis, Sunnis',' she said. READ MORE The 34-year-old was among the many who cautiously welcomed Sunni Islamist rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in December, euphoric at the ousting of dictator Bashar al-Assad and the opportunity to rebuild the shattered nation — even if she disagreed with Sharaa's ideology. But the jubilation that characterised those early days has been slowly replaced by sectarian tension and a burgeoning Sunni populism. Syrian government troops in the town of Buser al Harir, Syria, during a ceasefire at the end of last month. Photograph: Nicole Tung/The New York Times This has been subtly encouraged by the new Islamist rulers, who have stoked majoritarian feeling by comparing their reign to that of Damascus's 8th-century Sunni Umayyad Dynasty, while their supporters have become less tolerant of criticism. 'Whereas in 2011, the masses backed the protesters,' Zain said, referring to the popular uprising against Assad that led to the civil war, 'today they are betraying [them].' Last month's violence in Sweida severely undermined the cautious faith many Syrians had placed in Sharaa. The national mood has instead darkened, leaving many — including Sunnis, who make up approximately two-thirds of the 25 million population — asking whether Sharaa will foster national unity or sectarian strife. Syrian Druze fighters after Syrian government forces pulled out of the southern Sweida governorate last month. Photograph: Shadi Al-Dubaisi/AFP via Getty Images Syria's patchwork of ethnic and religious groups, which include other Muslims, Druze and Christians, were often pitted against each other during 50 years of brutal minority rule under the Assads, themselves part of the Shia offshoot Alawite sect. Sunni rebels formed the backbone of the revolt that started in 2011, and many Sunnis were forced either to submit to the regime or flee during the war. This power dynamic has reversed dramatically since Assad's ousting by Sharaa, Syria's first Sunni leader in decades. [ The secret history of Syria's new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa Opens in new window ] Sharaa, whose rebel group was once a former al-Qaeda affiliate, has promised to protect minority rights and govern inclusively. But analysts say he has done little to subdue the growing sense of Sunni nationalism, in part because it is a useful tool with which to placate his base. 'It gives Sharaa's Islamist project a more nationalist bent and endears him to the streets, who have long awaited Sunni rule,' said Malik al-Abdeh, a London-based Syrian analyst. Bedouins answer questions from government troops at a checkpoint while evacuating their farming equipment and belongings from Sweida at a checkpoint near Busra, Syria last month. Photograph: Nicole Tung/The New York Times The more extreme elements in Sharaa's base view other sects and religions as heretics, while his former rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham — veterans of which make up the core of Syria's security forces — had a history of abuses against Christians and Druze. Some minorities increasingly fear they are vulnerable. 'Sunnis feel that they are the victors, that they are not only the majority but also now powerful rulers,' said Amal Georges, a 56-year-old Christian shopkeeper in Damascus. 'All of my Sunni friends, they're ignoring the bad stuff this government is doing because they don't want to give up on this sense of victory,' she said. 'So as minorities, we are being made to feel like we are their subjects and that we have to walk on eggshells around them or they will punish us.' The first major flare-up came in March, when clashes between government forces and pro-Assad Alawite forces in coastal regions spiralled into killings of civilians in which more than 1,400 people died. The government, eager to restore confidence, ordered an investigation into the violence. It later concluded some state security forces participated in mass atrocities. National outrage was limited in part because of the involvement of Alawite insurgents still seen as supporters of the Assad regime. But many Syrians are finding it harder to overlook the killings in Sweida. Government forces, sent in to quell the violence, were accused of participating in reprisal killings against the Druze. Israel in turn launched strikes against Sharaa's security forces in the name of defending the minority, further inflaming divisions and mistrust. Druze residents told the Financial Times that sectarian killings of civilians were rampant, particularly following the arrival of Sunni tribes from other parts of the country to defend their Bedouin brethren. One video from Sweida shows what appear to be government fighters asking a bloodied man on the ground if he is Druze or Sunni. The man replies only that he's Syrian — an answer that leads to him being shot to death. While there were reports of atrocities conducted by all sides, including Druze militias, such videos horrified people across Syria. 'I have been a fan of Sharaa's and as a Sunni, I am proud of what he's been trying to do. But that video broke my faith in him a bit,' said Abdallah Omar, a 24-year-old university student in Aleppo. [ 'We are nice people, but poor': After Assad's fall, economic problems are Syrians' biggest concern Opens in new window ] 'I'm not saying the massacres are his fault completely — but he is showing that he cannot control his own people or maybe that he doesn't want to ... Is he actually here to make Syria better? I don't know anymore.' Bedouins from Sweida wait to register for assistance at a school in Buser al-Harir, Syria, last month. Photograph: Nicole Tung/The New York Times Sharaa's government has tried to win back support, condemning the reported violations and announcing an investigation similar to the one conducted after the massacres in March. He also announced parliamentary elections will take place in September, with a third of the 210 seats allocated by him — including for areas not currently under government control such as Sweida and the Kurdish-run northeast. [ 'Everyone is digging for gold now': Desperate Syrians resort to scouring ancient sites Opens in new window ] But yet more violence last week — such as clashes between government fighters and Kurdish-led forces — has further derailed Sharaa's efforts to unify the country. For some Syrians, it is too late. Hossam, a 52-year-old Druze teacher, worked for months with members of Sweida's secular movement to call for more inclusive governance, including free and fair elections, a national dialogue and a constitution. 'They refused everything,' Hossam said. 'People who just lost loved ones in this violence: you want to tell them to work with [Sharaa's] government? They will never accept it.' 'We are Syrians ... But today, we cannot accept that these terrorists are governing us from Damascus. If we deal with them, it means we will sign our death warrants. And that is impossible.' - Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
Al Jazeera
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
More than 1,400 killed in sectarian violence in coastal Syria, report finds
More than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed in several days of sectarian violence in Syria's coastal regions earlier this year, a government committee tasked with investigating the attacks has found. The committee said it had identified 298 suspects implicated in serious violations during the violence in the country's Alawite heartland that left at least 1,426 members of the minority community dead in March. Tuesday's findings come after a new wave of violence involving the country's Druze community, raising further questions over the new government's ability to manage sectarian tensions and maintain security after the December overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad – himself an Alawite. The March violence took place in a predominantly Alawite region of Syria's coast, where government forces and allied groups were accused of carrying out summary executions, mostly targeting Alawite civilians, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights saying more than 1,700 people were killed. The committee's report said there was no evidence that Syria's military leadership ordered attacks on the Alawite community. The committee's investigation documented 'serious violations against civilians on March 7, 8 and 9, including murder, premeditated murder, looting, destruction and burning of homes, torture and sectarian insults', spokesman Yasser al-Farhan told a news conference in Damascus. The committee confirmed 'the names of 1,426 dead, including 90 women, with most of the rest being civilians' from the Alawite community, he said, adding that an unspecified number of further dead had not been verified. The investigation also 'identified 298 individuals by name' who were suspected of involvement in the violations, al-Farhan continued, describing the figure as provisional. These have been referred for prosecution, and 37 people have been arrested, officials told journalists. They didn't say how many suspects were members of security forces. 'Bigger than just violations' Authorities have accused gunmen loyal to al-Assad of instigating the violence, launching deadly attacks that killed dozens of security personnel. The committee said 238 members of the army and security forces were killed in the attacks in the provinces of Tartous, Latakia and Hama. About 200,000 pro-government military reinforcements then converged on the area, according to al-Farhan. Jana Mustafa, a 24-year-old student from Baniyas whose father was killed during the violence, said she had not been waiting for the report 'because the truth was clear to me'. 'The number of bodies, the mass graves and the screams of the victims were enough to clarify what happened,' she said, expressing disappointment that the committee's announcements appeared to include 'justifications for everything that happened'. 'The issue is bigger than just violations. It was directed against an entire sect,' she added. The committee said it based its report on more than 30 on-site visits, meetings with dozens of people in the towns and villages where violations occurred, and testimonies from hundreds of witnesses and victims. It also heard from government officials. Al-Farhan said the committee had identified people 'linked to certain military groups and factions' among those involved in the violence, adding it believed they 'violated military orders and are suspected of committing violations against civilians'. 'Disappointed and frustrated' Rama Hussein, 22, whose three sisters, two cousins and grandfather were killed in the Jableh region, said she was 'sad, disappointed and frustrated' with the committee. 'No one listened to my testimony, no one visited us – I don't know who this committee met or who they saw,' she said. 'I hope we see real accountability, not just reports and press conferences,' she said, calling for compensation for the families of those killed. Human rights groups and international organisations have said entire families were killed, including women, children and the elderly. Gunmen stormed homes and asked residents whether they were Alawite or Sunni before killing or sparing them, they said. Committee chairman Jumaa al-Anzi said authorities had been consulted to identify individuals who appeared in videos on social media documenting violations, and that some of them were included among the suspects. The body said two lists of people 'suspected of involvement in attacks or violations' had been referred to the judiciary. Al-Anzi, the committee's chair, said that 'we have no evidence that the [military] leaders gave orders to commit violations'. The presidency had said new Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa had received the committee's report on July 13, the same day that sectarian violence erupted in the Druze-majority province of Suwayda. Those clashes broke out between Sunni Muslim Bedouin clans and Druze armed groups, and government security forces who intervened to restore order. Druze armed groups launched revenge attacks on Bedouin communities. Hundreds have been killed, and the United Nations says more than 128,500 people have been displaced. The violence has largely stopped as a ceasefire takes hold. The committee chair said the violence in Suwayda is 'painful for all Syrians' but 'beyond the jurisdiction' of his committee. 'Time will reveal what happened and who is responsible for it,' he said.
LBCI
19-07-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
President al-Sharaa says Syria is not a battleground for secessionist agendas, praises US support for national unity
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa reaffirmed on Saturday that Syria will not become a platform for secessionist projects, emphasizing the importance of preserving the country's sovereignty and unity. He welcomed Washington's stated support for Syria's territorial integrity. Speaking during a televised address, President al-Sharaa revealed that Damascus had received international calls to intervene and restore stability in the southern city of Sweida, following weeks of unrest and violent clashes. He blamed Israeli interference for reigniting tensions in the region, saying that the "blatant bombardment of southern Syria and Damascus had further destabilized the situation in Sweida.'' 'The Syrian state alone is capable of preserving its authority and sovereignty over all its territory,' al-Sharaa said, reiterating appreciation for the United States' assurances of support for Syria's unity. In light of what he described as a 'critical moment,' the president called on tribal leaders and members of the Druze community to stand united against efforts to incite sectarian strife. He emphasized that the government would firmly counter any attempt to fuel the flames of division. Al-Sharaa added that recent events had demonstrated that the people of Sweida largely support the Syrian state, 'except a small group,' reiterating that Syria will not tolerate fragmentation.
ABC News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Druze community, divided between Syria and Israel, has fleeting connection during conflict
The small towns in the northern tip of the Israeli occupied Golan Heights aren't usually susceptible to traffic jams. Clinging to the side of Mount Hermon, the narrow and winding streets of Majdal Shams can be challenging to navigate in quieter times. But on Wednesday night, it was clogged with cars, trucks and quad bikes, as the sounds of joyous celebrations echoed up and down the valley where the Druze village sits. The focal point was a gate, in a kilometres long razor wire-topped fence, which had been forced open earlier in the day by hundreds of members of the Druze community — a religious minority spread across Syria, Lebanon and Israel. For the first time in decades, Israeli Druze poured through the fence — first by foot, then by car. Syrian Druze made the opposite journey. Heartwarming family reunions decades in the making ensued for a number of hours, on both sides of the fence. As night fell, hundreds of people lined the streets cheering and chanting as groups returned through the gate. The fact the event occurred at all is notable. So too is the fact that Israeli authorities, known for their vice-like control of borders, allowed it to happen — and indeed stood and watched it play out. The fence was breached as Israel launched extensive air strikes across Syria. Many of the Druze who'd pushed their way through had done so trying to encourage Israel to go even further. Less than 24 hours later, as Israeli jets resumed their focus on Gaza instead of the country's northern neighbours, the gate was secured. Life was returning to normal. But the impact of the bombing raids across Syria was only just being realised. Through the noise and walls of the colourful Druze flags, Zeid Abu Jabal emerged from the area near the gate. He was beaming. "I met my brother from the other side from Sweida, from Jabal Arab, whom I have not seen for more than 50 years," he told the ABC. "The meeting took place here, when the young men went inside [Syria], there was an opportunity for my brother to cross [back into the Golan] with people he knows who came here from the other side. "There was food and drinks and we met them and we wanted them to stay with us, but unfortunately, we were informed that at 10pm they had to cross the border and go back to where they came from." It was hard for Zeid to hide his smile. But, his happiness was still tempered by fear and frustration. This reunion with his brother had only occurred because of violent clashes between the Druze and Bedouin communities over the border, and Israel's decision to get involved in the conflict. The clashes began last weekend when a Druze merchant was reportedly kidnapped, sparking more violence between the groups and triggering the Syrian government forces to deploy to the Sweida region in southern Syria. As of this morning the conflict's death toll had soared to nearly 600, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Zeid blamed the new Syrian leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa for the situation. "Al-Sharaa, more than once, found groups to strike our Druze brethren, and unfortunately this time was an attack on our honour and our elderly leaders, on our children and on our women," he said. "Al-Sharaa is one of the terror groups that is acting to exterminate the Druze in Sweida and Jabal Al-Arab. "If he had any peaceful intention, Syria would not have reached this situation, Assad before him was unjust towards his people, unfortunately what we see from Al-Sharaa is worse than what we saw from Assad." Proudly displaying the Druze flag, Wade Sabag said he had seen videos on social media showing the fighting in Syria. "I get so angry, and the feeling of that I can't do anything here because we are in different countries," he said. "It's so bad." It is that sentiment Israel tapped into when it launched its attacks inside Syria, insisting it was protecting the Syrian Druze in solidarity with its own Druze population. Benjamin Netanyahu's willingness to flex his country's military muscle has been clear for the world to see in recent times. While the war in Gaza stretched into its 21st month, Israel sparked a 12-day conflict with Iran. Israeli forces continue to strike inside Lebanon despite a ceasefire, repeatedly attacked Yemen's Houthi rebels, and have intensified their campaign against claimed militants in the occupied West Bank. As Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime was toppled by Islamist rebel forces in December, Israel sent troops and tanks over the border into what was once the buffer zone along the border with the Golan Heights. It's since moved beyond that zone and attacked targets in Syria, including the Ministry of Defence in Damascus. Mr Netanyahu said it was in response to Syrian forces moving south of Damascus and "massacring Druze" in what was supposed to be a "demilitarised" area. "This was something we could not accept in any way," he said Mr Netanyahu said Israel's strikes had forced Syrian forces to retreat to Damascus. That's where Israel wants them to stay, and Mr Netanyahu has indicated he's prepared to use force again to ensure they do. "We will not allow Syrian army forces to enter the region south of Damascus," he said. "We have taken action, and we will continue to take action as necessary." Since the Israeli strikes, a ceasefire was negotiated and most fighting between Israeli and Syrian government forces has stopped. While Syrian government forces had mostly left the southern province of Sweida after days of clashes with Druze militias, the fighting hasn't fully ceased. According to Syrian state media, Druze militiamen have attacked Sunni Bedouin communities. A military commander for the Bedouin said their fighters had launched a new offensive in Sweida province against Druze fighters and that the truce there only applied to government forces, Reuters reported. The Druze in Israel are generally seen as supportive of the country. However, many of those in the Golan have closer ties to Syria. Long time Druze activist Salman Fakhreddin has been campaigning against Israeli occupation for decades, and has been jailed by Israeli authorities 13 times as a result. "A decade before [these attacks] the Druze were massacred [in Syria] and the Israelis didn't do anything," he said. "What motivates them, it is not human rights, it's hegemony and occupation." He described Israel as being locked in "an eternal crisis" — occupying land, but demanding peace at the same time. The allegations from Salman Fakhreddin tally with those coming from the new Syrian leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa — a man he has little positive to say about. The Islamist leader-turned-president has been talking up the prospects of uniting his country, even as concerns abound about the ideology of the forces he led to power and the risk they would target Syria's minority groups. In the seven months since he toppled dictator Bashar Al-Assad, there have been a number of deadly attacks — including against Alawites and, now, the Druze. "Open war with Israel at the expense of the Druze people and their security is destabilising Syria and the entire region," Al-Sharaa said in a televised speech overnight. "Israel resorted to extensive targeting of civilian and governmental facilities, to undermine efforts, which greatly complicated the situation, and pushed matters to a large-scale escalation. "If it weren't for the effective intervention of American, Arab and Turkish mediation, which saved the region from an unknown fate." The Syrian president's reference to the US in his comments was telling — not least because of the White House's influence over Israel's actions. Just weeks ago, it was Donald Trump who lifted crippling sanctions on Syria in a bid to help the country rebuild. That was a move pushed by Türkiye and Saudi Arabia. Mohammed Bin Salman, the Saudi Crown Prince, was the one to introduce the US president to Ahmed Al-Sharaa, while he visited Riyadh. "Young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter. He's got a real shot at pulling it together," President Trump told reporters after the meeting on Air Force One. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to downplay Israel's strikes this week by saying it was a "misunderstanding" with Syria. But the ramifications are significant. One of Donald Trump's major goals is the expansion of the Abraham Accords, the title of the program promoting normalisation of ties between Israel and Arab nations — relations that have traditionally been hostile The jewel in that foreign policy crown would be getting Saudi Arabia to sign on — a task that could become more difficult after Israel's strikes in Syria. So too any sort of normalisation with Syria, which had been mooted for weeks. For all the questioning of Israel's motives, the decision by the Netanyahu government and the IDF have support even amongst some of the prime minister's most staunch opponents. "We have a strong commitment to the Druze here in Israel, and therefore also for the Druzes in Lebanon and in Syria," Israeli leader of the Democrats Yair Golan told the ABC. "And in both unstable countries, we need to be in high awareness to what is happening there. "I think it came only too late, and the minute we understand that these people, our allies and our citizens, are under threat, we need to do something in order to secure them and in order prevent further massacres." A former government minister, and member of Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, took that a step further. "One can not play the game with this ISIS guy called Al-Sharaa," Druze politician Ayoob Kara argued. "He is dressed up like Little Red Riding Hood, with a tie and his trimmed beard." The talk of the threat coming from Syria prompted Israeli forces to start erecting concrete barriers on Thursday, along the very fenceline they had watched Druze breach the day before. Siham Safadi was watching on. She had welcomed family from the Syrian side of the fence the day earlier, and was preparing to say goodbye. "This fence that has been established I understand it is for security but it has closed our heart," she told the ABC. "It has closed all Majdal Shams, all the Golan Heights, it causes us pain. "It's a cement wall, they have turned our hearts into cement."
NHK
18-07-2025
- Politics
- NHK
Israel attacks southern Syria after Damascus airstrikes
The Israeli military attacked southern Syria on Thursday following airstrikes on Damascus the previous day. Israel has launched the military campaign after members of the minority Druze community and Bedouin tribes clashed in southern Syria, prompting the interim government to send troops. The Israeli forces attacked military headquarters and other targets in the capital and southern Syria. Israel says the military campaign is aimed at protecting the Druze community as some members live in Israel. Arab media have reported that the Israeli forces carried out strikes against an armed Bedouin group in southern Syria on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on the same day, "We have set forth a clear policy: demilitarization of the region to south of Damascus." Netanyahu stressed that Israel will not allow Syrian forces to enter the southern Syrian region near the border with Israel. Israel appears to be prepared for further action amid growing concerns for escalation. A US State Department spokesperson told reporters on Thursday that "the United States did not support recent Israeli strikes." The spokesperson called for a ceasefire.
