Activists from Suwayda call for international help as crisis deepens

Suwayda and its surrounding areas have witnessed a dangerous escalation in recent days due to attacks perpetrated by groups affiliated with Syria’s transitional government, operating under the guise of "tribal forces." Video evidence, however, reveals that government fighters disguised themselves in tribal attire, raising serious questions about the true nature of these assaults. 

Despite regional and international efforts to broker calm, these groups have repeatedly violated ceasefire agreements, undermining a fragile truce.

This escalation has been exacerbated by an ongoing campaign of incitement targeting Suwayda’s Druze community through social media platforms.

Although multiple reports confirm a significant number of casualties due to these violations, local activists in Suwayda have been unable to accurately document the death toll.

According to the latest figures from the Syrian Observatory, the number of fatalities has reached 1,311.

 Raouf Abu Hujaila, the writer and activist from Suwayda, emphasized that the events in Suwayda are not isolated but the culmination of long-standing political, economic, and social marginalization affecting the broader Syrian landscape. He stressed that the movement in Suwayda is a grassroots civilian effort, independent of any militias, and reflects a rejection of the imposed authority, which he described as a "takfiri, Daesh-like regime."

Abu Hujaila argued that the root causes are evident, citing the lack of legitimacy of the current authority, which imposed a constitution without inclusive national dialogue involving all components of Syrian society. The objectives, he noted, are clear: to rid Syrian territory of this "intrusive authority and its mercenaries," paving the way for a genuine political system that ensures citizens’ rights and establishes a democratic framework that respects human dignity.

He further stated that the Syrian revolution was not waged against one dictatorship only to be replaced by another oppressive regime characterized by violence, suppression, and genocide.

 Abu Hujaila lamented the descent into sectarian rhetoric, which he described as a "cheap narrative" dragging Syrians into a "filthy quagmire."

Illegitimate Governance and Misreading the Crisis

Rejecting the label of a "transitional government," Abu Hujaila described the current authority as "illegitimate by definition." He criticized its failure to recognize the Suwayda movement as a national call for change, instead treating it as a localized protest that could be easily contained. The government’s response, limited to hollow statements of solidarity and claims of confronting "outlaw militias," reflects a superficial understanding of the situation, he argued. This mirrors the government’s earlier tactics on the Syrian coast, where it justified crackdowns under the pretext of targeting regime remnants. Abu Hujaila stressed that a government aspiring to build a state must prioritize inclusivity from the outset.

Instead, the current authority has sidelined key components of Syrian society, particularly moderate Sunni groups unaffiliated with extremist factions, such as those led by al-Joulani. He called for a unified Syrian effort, free from sectarianism, to launch a "revolution to correct the revolution."

Political and Social Implications

Politically, he described Suwayda’s uprising as a national revolution, serving as a model for other regions and potentially sparking a broader movement to rectify the course of the Syrian revolution. Socially, he highlighted the Syrian people’s growing awareness and rejection of political falsehoods inherited from the previous regime. However, he cautioned that the current authority’s efforts to sow division could deepen societal rifts, potentially leading to a large-scale civil conflict.

Sectarian War with Government Backing

Samaher al-Andari, another Druze activist from Suwayda, asserted that the ongoing conflict is driven by sectarian motives, targeting the Druze community based on extremist ideologies rooted in the teachings of Ibn Taymiyya, which label Druze as heretics deserving extermination. She accused the government of fueling the crisis while attempting to gain public favor by sending a delegation and relief supplies. However, the Suwayda community, led by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, rejected the government delegation—represented by Minister Hind Qabawat and provincial official Mustafa Bakour—while accepting the aid, reflecting distrust in the government’s intentions.

Humanitarian Catastrophe

Al-Andari described the situation in Suwayda as catastrophic across all sectors. For eight days, the province has been without electricity, communications, water, food, or medical supplies. Thousands of displaced families have fled to safer villages, carrying the burden of loss from cold-blooded killings and the destruction of their homes and properties. Children are suffering from hunger and thirst, and residents are forced to sleep in the open without recourse. She called on the international community and humanitarian organizations to fulfill their moral and ethical obligations by providing direct protection and opening humanitarian corridors to Suwayda, in cooperation with Kurdish allies, Jordan, and Israel.

Al-Andari warned that Suwayda is on the brink of collapse, with hospitals in a dire state, signaling an impending humanitarian disaster. Hundreds of martyrs remain unburied, with decomposing bodies posing environmental and health risks. She urged the establishment of an international relief body to save what remains of Suwayda, emphasizing the severity of the unfolding crisis.

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ANHA