Although observers supportive of the Syrian government have continued to frame the recent events in al-Suwayda’ as being driven by Hikmat al-Hijri (one of the three mashaykh al-‘aql: the most senior Druze spiritual leaders in Syria), the reality is that the other two mashaykh al-‘aql- Hamoud al-Hanawi and Yusuf Jerbo, both of whom were more open to engagement with the government prior to these events- have now made clear their position in new statements. These statements illustrate that they are in alignment with Hijri on several basic points, illustrating the degree to which the government has now alienated the wider Druze community in al-Suwayda’:
(i) Both frame the actions of the government and its forces as treacherous, extremist behaviour that constituted a wider attack on the Druze community. Jerbo goes so far as to compare the government forces to the ‘Tatars’ (the common Arabic term for the Mongols, who became notorious in Arabic historical writing for their invasion of the Middle East and the reported havoc they wreaked therein). The government is therefore portrayed as an entity that cannot be trusted.
(ii) They both frame the actions of local Druze fighters as justified self-defence protecting the community’s very existence, and call for a unified position to defend Jabal al-Arab (al-Suwayda’).
(iii) Although less explicit than Hijri, both are thankful for Israel’s military intervention that proved important in stopping the initial assault by government forces and forcing them to pull back. This is evident in the particular thanks they extend to Israeli Druze spiritual leader Muwaffaq Tarif, who has lobbied the Israeli government to intervene for the Syrian Druze.
(iv) Both characterise the government’s current policies as siege tactics against al-Suwayda’. It is also evident that as a minimum, they will accept nothing less than the ending of all restrictions on entry of goods into al-Suwayda’ and the withdrawal of all government forces and pro-government tribal militias from the northern and western countrysides of al-Suwayda’.
Thus, while government supporters may continue to frame Hijri as a supposed ‘separatist’ and ‘Assadist’ villain standing in the way of a lasting resolution, the reality is that all the senior Druze spiritual leadership has turned against the government for its actions that have proven disastrous. If the government wants to revive any realistic prospect for imposing state control in al-Suwayda’, it must seriously rethink its approach and hold itself accountable for crimes and mistakes.
Below are the translated statements of Hanawi and Jerbo.
Hanawi’s statement:
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
“And do not despair or be sad, for you are the supreme ones if you are believers”
Praise be to God the just vanquishing ruler, and prayers and peace be upon the lord of the outstanding ones and all the prophets and those sent, and those who have gone on their path until the day of judgement.
As for what follows:
“We have been tested by an authority and those with it who do not respect any pact or agreement, an authority that has sold the homeland in the market of bartering, and has thus stabbed its people before stabbing its borders.”
Oh free ones of Jabal al-Arab and the people of our noble sect in every place, and noble ones of the homeland, we have been tested by an authority and those with it who do not respect any pact or agreement, an authority that has sold the homeland in the market of bartering, and has thus stabbed its people before stabbing its borders, such that our very existence was attacked by the government of treachery, which violated pacts, turned against values, and was content to be an unsheathed sword on the necks of innocents, through fatwas of its dark, jihadist, extremist ideology, which deems blood, property, holy sites and rights to be fair game.
Oh tribes of the Arabs, oh people of Hawran, we saw you as brothers in blood and chivalry, the neighbourly support and help in times of great difficulties, but behold we woke up to stabs in the back, and the abandonment of the neighbour, and the breaking of the pact of fathers and forefathers. Where are the counsels of Arabness? Where are the covenants of nobleness? Where is fulfilment? Are you content with your names being recorded on the pages of those who helped the oppressor in his oppression?
Jabal al-Arab is a fortress of resistance and dignity, that has never known submission. It is the one that repelled the Ottoman occupier and the French coloniser, and taught the invaders lessons in freedom, left by men who were true to what they promised to God, and in their vanguard was Sultan Pasha al-Atrash, and the two noble shaykhs Ibrahim al-Hajri and Abu Ali Qassam al-Hanawi, and other outstanding figures of the religion and homeland.
Today, despite the oppressive strangling siege on al-Suwayda’ in terms of food, medicine, fuels and destruction of infrastructure, including water, electricity and communications, al-Suwayda’ will only bow to God, and it will remain lofty like the evergreen oak, steadfast like the rock in the face of the tyrants. We call on the people of the Jabal and all our people to stand together, share the roll of bread, and look after each other, for hunger is broken by standing together, and the trial recedes when hands clasp each other and hearts unite.
All should know that our battle today is no longer a clause in the table of politics, nor a sheet in the bartering deals, but rather it has become a cause of the existence and fate of all the people of the Jabal and our people wherever they are: either we protect this existence with our blood and will, or we are wiped out from the pages of the earth and history.
We call with shyness for God’s mercy on the souls of the outstanding martyrs, and we implore God to hasten the healing of the wounded, and we affirm that the prisoners and missing among our free people and men are a trust on our necks, until they return to their relatives, honoured and safe.
We also extend sincere thanks and regards to every noble state and free people who heeded the call to protect the Monotheist Druze sect from the war of extermination, and we call on the noble ones of the world to support our just cause in confronting terrorism, and we ask all the states and international and humanitarian NGOs to bear their responsibilities and immediately apply pressure to lift the oppressive siege imposed on al-Suwayda’ governorate, and open humanitarian crossings without restrictions or conditions.
We ask the international community to open an investigation and hold accountable those involved in all the barbaric crimes committed against our sect’s people and their existence.
Further, we extend the utmost signs of pride and proudness to our people in the Jabal, men and women, who have been steadfast in their positions, and defend their abode and dignity. For they have been the strong fortress and impenetrable barrier in the face of every sinful, harsh-hearted transgressor, and they set the best examples in courage, defiance and sacrifice.
We send regards of duty and ennoblement to our Druze people in every place, and their religious leadership, foremost among them his eminence Shaykh Muwaffaq Tarif, for their ennobled stances and steadfast support for the people of the Jabal.
We warn against fitna [internal strife] and the media war and danger of the false rumours, especially as there has not been any contact or agreements regarding what was stirred up, and that is for notification.
“We send regards of duty and ennoblement to our Druze people in every place, and their religious leadership, foremost among them his eminence Shaykh Muwaffaq Tarif, for their ennobled stances and steadfast support for the people of the Jabal.”
We also reject and condemn their going outside the limits of ethics and manners in their attacking our religious symbols and authorities. We are also surprised at the Arab silence, media cover up and erasure of facts and accuracy.
In conclusion, we pledge to God and our people that we will remain on the pledge, and not barter over the blood of a martyr, nor will we be negligent in any usurped right, and the Jabal will remain as you have known it, defiant against being broken, and lofty in its resistance, and dutiful to the blood of its heroes, until God permits deliverance in the near future and clear victory: “And surely God will support the one who supports Him. Indeed God is powerful and mighty.”
Wa as-salam alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuhu
Shaykh al-Aql
The poor servant to the Almighty’s mercy
Hamoud Yahya al-Hanawi
Sahwat al-Balata- 9 August 2025
Jerbo’s statement:
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Praise be to God who supports the oppressed and weakens the scheme of the oppressors, and prayers and peace be upon the master of those sent and all his family and companions.
We call for God’s mercy on our martyrs, the martyrs of dignity and nobility, the martyrs of defiance, excellence and zeal, who wet the soil of beloved al-Suwayda’ with their pure blood, waging the greatest epic battles, drawing in their heroic acts on the words of God the Almighty and Exalted: “If God supports you, no one can overcome you.” They implored God’s help and so He supported and ennobled them over the aggressors who were tempted by their numbers and equipment.
We implore God Almighty to quickly heal the wounded heroes, and for the kidnapped to return safe and sound.
We also send sincere condolences to our people in this Jabal, and we ask God to grant them patience and reckoning. Indeed He hears and answers.
Adding to our previous statement published on 17 July 2025, in which we condemned what had happened, we have considered it necessary to appear in a video that clarifies the truth of our position on what happened.
Oh dear Ma’aroufin [Druze] in Syria and the world
Oh patriotic Syrians
In the past days, al-Suwayda’ province has passed through a great trial, during which we have expended all efforts and capabilities to stop the bloodshed and protect the innocent civilians. Our keenness to fulfil our duty and effort to spare blood and prevent fitna led us to expend effort and follow the ways of safety, so that we could protect the people of the province from the continuation of this slaughter and organised oppression.
But we have seen and the world has clearly seen what has been done by this barbaric aggression, which did not observe any pact or treaty for God’s sake, after it came on the pretext of ‘imposing the state’s control.’ In fact it gave a cover and protection for an army of the Tatars who wreaked havoc and unjustly killed defenceless civilians, in addition to attacking sacrosanct things and people’s livelihoods through stealing, destruction and burning, and their pretext was ‘restraining outlaw groups.’
“Our men are the heroes who defended the land and honour: otherwise, what law allows killing and burning of men, women, elderly and innocent children? And what religion permits stealing people’s wealth and attacking their safe homes?”
You lied, oh aggressors!
In truth, our men are the heroes who defended the land and honour: otherwise, what law allows killing and burning of men, women, elderly and innocent children? And what religion permits stealing people’s wealth and attacking their safe homes?
Is it possible for the one who destroys to build, and the one who has broken expectations to restore a homeland that has become a hotbed of sectarianism and aggression?
In these barbaric sectarian acts, we find systematic ethnic cleansing, which disregarded province’s humanitarian and historical legacy and its contribution to providing refuge and protection to our civilian refugee brethren from all the people of Syria during the revolution against the bygone regime. These acts are therefore a true betrayal of the entire Syrian people.
Therefore, we call on the guarantor states to take up responsibility and adopt humanitarian positions that remove oppression from the innocents. We also call on humanitarian NGOs, press commissions and relevant persons from all regions of the world to review the massacres committed by the aggressors against humanity in this noble part of the homeland without any justification!
Our Ma’arouf people are well-known for their might and heroism, and they have never been aggressors against anyone, but rather advocates for peace and concord, but beware of transgressing on their dignity, for behind peace is courage, and behind mildness are determination and force.
Therefore, we add our voice to the voice of the eminent noble mashayakh al-aql in calling for unity of force and rank, conciliation and affection and setting aside strife and division.
We also thank all the states that helped us in our tribulation, as well as the people who have pride, zeal and humanitarianism. In particular we thank his eminence Shaykh Muwaffaq Tarif for his noble Ma’aroufi position.
We also ask the following of the guarantor states:
1. Stopping acts of fighting and aggression and immediate withdrawal from all the lands of the province.
2. Release of the kidnapped and disappeared.
3. Forming a neutral international investigative committee.
4. Lifting the siege and opening of humanitarian crossings without restrictions or conditions.
And God is our reliance and He is an excellent trustee.
