The Druze community, historically concentrated in southern Syria's Suwayda and the surrounding areas of Jabal al-Druze, has long been wary of external threats. While small Druze communities exist near the Golan Heights, they are part of a larger network of Druze populations spread across Syria and Lebanon.

The Druze, like the Kurds or the Yazidis, are a unique ethnic minority in the Middle East who follow the Druze faith, which incorporates tenets of Islam, Hinduism and even classical Greek philosophy in its religion. While many were serving either in the army or in local security units, they suffered a massacre at the hands of ISIS. They also suffered after the war due to neglect and continued controversy regarding the former regime's attempts to restore authority over Suwayda.

On February 24, armed Druze factions in Syria's southern Suwayda province announced the formation of the Suwayda Military Council, a coalition of local groups dedicated to protecting the Druze community from external threats and government oppression. The announcement came weeks after former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's downfall and against the backdrop of an uncertain future of the country's new leadership under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

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"For the Druze community, not much has changed. Since 2015, Suwayda was under cautious control of the Assad regime. The state institutions functioned, but security was limited. After Assad's fall, the situation remained largely the same, except that the poorest lost government support for bread and essential goods," Amer Abu Assali, a Druze who grew up in Syria, told NDTV.

The council, according to its statement, is tasked with safeguarding civilians and public property, coordinating with other security factions, and ensuring the region's stability.

"Somehow, safety improved, though the situation remains dangerous. Most of the gangs and cartels in Suwayda were backed by Assad, and when he fell, they collapsed too. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - headed by al-Sharaa - hasn't fully entered Suwayda because the people reject them," Mr Assali, 36, told NDTV. "Druze in Syria are not only in Suwayda. There are small Druze communities in Idlib, Quneitra, and western rural Damascus. Some Druze in Idlib were forced to convert to Islam under the Al-Nusra Front - HTS' precursor - over a ten-year period."

A Long-Brewing Movement

The Suwayda Military Council originally emerged as the Interim Military Council in December last year, shortly after Assad's government fell. Its formation was a response to deteriorating security conditions following the withdrawal of Syrian Arab Army (SAA) forces from the province.

The council's commander, a man named Tareq Al Shoufi, in his first public remarks, said that the Druze body seeks to integrate into a unified Syrian army, promoting secularism, democracy, and decentralisation as foundational principles for justice and stability.

Not all Druze leaders welcomed the initiative. Syria's Druze spiritual leader, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri has rejected the council, accusing its members of separatism and insisting they do not represent the Druze community.

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"Many groups aligned with the SDF, Israel, or the US are ambiguous, like the Free Syrian Army, which disappeared for ten years before reappearing the night Assad fell," Mr Assali told NDTV.

Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, also known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, has met with a delegation from Suwayda to discuss security concerns, political participation, and economic conditions.

However, there have been apprehensions within the community considering al-Sharaa's past as leader of HTS.

"In Suwayda, Islamists can never impose Islamic law in a region that is 90 per cent Druze. Still, the general perception of al-Sharaa is worsening because he hasn't shown seriousness in building a state. Transparency is nonexistent - no formal declarations, just militia leaders declaring him president in a Telegram group. His latest speech presented him as a strongman, implying he will use force to impose his political vision," Mr Assali told NDTV.

A Symbol of Resistance

The Suwayda Military Council has adopted a flag similar to the one used by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). However, this version features Suwayda Governorate with the Druze five-pointed star.

The council has expressed openness to cooperating with the SDF, acknowledging their shared struggle against terrorism and dictatorship. Since Assad's fall, the council has been working to consolidate its influence, notably compiling a database of former SAA officers and internal security personnel.

Reports indicate that Tareq al Shoufi is leading the council, though little is known about him. A 2023 report suggests he was among former SAA officers who sided with the Druze community during anti-Assad protests in Suwayda. On February 24, several local factions pledged allegiance to the Military Council, including the Bayraq Suleiman Bin Daoud Forces, led by a man called Majed Najem Abu Ras.

"We demand the full demilitarisation of southern Syria," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently. "We will not tolerate any threat to the Druze community in southern Syria."

Abu Ras has expressed pro-Israel sentiments on social media. He shared a post by Israeli Druze leader Suleiman Abdul Latif, urging young Druze in Suwayda to join the council. In another instance, he commented on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks about protecting Syria's Druze community, suggesting that Netanyahu's message was aimed at al-Sharaa and HTS.

Civilians in the Druze community have welcomed the move.

"It's a good step for pressuring the government and providing protection. But in the past, armed groups in Suwayda were disorganised, and no large force was ever formed. This should be followed by political efforts. Right now, things are unclear," Mr Assali told NDTV.

Historically, the Druze have distanced themselves from radical Islam. Many residing in Israel have even served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).