Syrian Druze sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri. (Credit: NNA)
The most hardline voice within the Syrian Druze community is expanding his influence in the Sweida stronghold. On Monday, one of the most influential sheikhs, Hikmat al-Hijri, went so far as to call for the creation of a “separate Druze region” in southern Syria, further outlining the structure of his “national guard,” the new military banner under his command.In recent days, dozens of armed factions, including some considered more moderate, such as the Men of Dignity — one of the main Druze components — have joined the movement. More than a month after the bloody clashes in Sweida province, which left around 1,600 dead according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), mostly Druze civilians, the support for this new movement speaks volumes about the disenchantment that has taken hold among Druze forces. “We welcome the new...
The most hardline voice within the Syrian Druze community is expanding his influence in the Sweida stronghold. On Monday, one of the most influential sheikhs, Hikmat al-Hijri, went so far as to call for the creation of a “separate Druze region” in southern Syria, further outlining the structure of his “national guard,” the new military banner under his command.In recent days, dozens of armed factions, including some considered more moderate, such as the Men of Dignity — one of the main Druze components — have joined the movement. More than a month after the bloody clashes in Sweida province, which left around 1,600 dead according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), mostly Druze civilians, the support for this new movement speaks volumes about the disenchantment that has taken hold among Druze forces. “We...
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