Daraa caught between Suwayda crisis and Israeli threats
Caught between the Suwayda crisis to the east and Israeli incursions to the west, Daraa grapples with new security, economic and social challenges.
9
09, 2025
12
08, 2025
Suwayda between self-administration and division: Are civil initiatives too late?
Suwayda has established a temporary office to run the province independently from the central government, while activists press forward with civil initiatives they hope could ease tensions and pave a path forward.
18
07, 2025
Tribal forces flock to Suwayda, clashes reignite after Damascus withdraws
Bedouin tribal fighters clashed with Druze forces in Syria’s southern Suwayda province on Friday, one day after reported revenge attacks in the wake of a government withdrawal touched off a new wave of sectarian violence.
16
07, 2025
Damascus begins Suwayda withdrawal after days of bloodshed
The Syrian army began to withdraw from Suwayda city on Wednesday night local time, following two days of clashes with local Druze forces that killed and injured hundreds and provided an opening for expanded Israeli intervention.
1
05, 2025
Escalation and appeals for calm: Is civil peace crumbling in Syria’s Druze communities?
This week’s violence in Druze-majority Jaramana and Sahnaya reignited longstanding questions surrounding civil peace and the impact of sectarian violence on social cohesion in Syria.
11
04, 2025
Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri’s journey: From obedience to opposition?
It took years for Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri to move from outward support for the Assad regime to cautious criticism and finally open opposition. With the new authorities in Damascus, he is taking an adversarial stance from the start.
15
03, 2025
Is Suwayda heading for a showdown with Damascus?
Factions in Syria’s southern Suwayda province are split on whether to merge with Damascus. One side—aligned with Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri—is opposed, while the other—including the powerful Men of Dignity—calls for opening to Damascus and joining its institutions.
26
06, 2024
Suwayda sidesteps a ‘spiral of violence’ following clashes
A new security checkpoint in Suwayda city sparked angry protests and armed clashes between local factions and regime forces before an agreement negotiated by local civil and religious leadership averted further escalation. The incident underscores the delicate balance of keeping the peace in the southern province.
5
06, 2024
Suwayda protesters resolute despite regime military reinforcements
Suwayda’s protest movement—marked by a prominent role for women and an insistence on nonviolence—is holding strong nearly 10 months in, despite Damascus deploying military reinforcements and appointing a man accused of war crimes as governor of the southern province.