Druze Spiritual Leader to Alhurra: “The Wound of Sweida Is Deep, and Criminals Are ‘Hiding Beneath the State’s Cloak’”

Originally published at Alhurra by Asrar Chbaro

“Criminals hiding under the cloak of the state”—this is how the spiritual leader (Sheikh al-Aql) of the Druze community in Lebanon, Sheikh Dr. Sami Abi al-Muna, describes “elements affiliated with Syrian security agencies” whom he accuses of committing “the heinous crime” in Sweida.

In statements to Alhurra, Abi al-Muna asked:
“Is the Syrian state incapable of controlling extremists and lawless groups?”

He added: “The situation in Sweida had been stable, and there were efforts to reach an agreement that would extend state authority in exchange for guarantees to the province’s residents. But what happened revealed deep-seated grudges that damaged the relationship between the authorities and the people of the mountain.”

He stressed that the perpetrators were security personnel, “which places direct responsibility on the Syrian state for what happened.” What occurred, he said, “will remain a deep wound in the memory of the mountain’s people.”

Syrian government forces withdrew from Druze-majority Sweida on Thursday night after days of clashes that left dozens dead, involving Bedouin tribes, government forces, and Druze fighters.

Across the border, Druze leaders in Lebanon expressed mixed positions on what happened in Sweida.

Some Druze expressed their anger through street protests, blocking roads in several towns across Mount Lebanon. In some cases, these actions escalated into assaults on Syrian refugees amid rhetoric charged with anger and pain.

The repercussions of Sweida did not stop in Mount Lebanon but extended north to Tripoli, where Sunni demonstrators also mobilized in support of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, in direct response to what they saw as a “Druze alignment” against al-Sharaa’s project in Damascus.

The Solution Lies in Damascus

Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt called for “a comprehensive dialogue” between the Druze community in Syria and the central government in Damascus.

In press statements, Jumblatt condemned the “violations and insults” suffered by the people of Sweida but stressed that relying on international protection is an illusion. “The people of Sweida and the Syrian authorities are the only ones capable of preserving the land,” he said.

Jumblatt, who previously visited Damascus and met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa twice, criticized calls for Israeli intervention.

This stance aligns with that of Sheikh al-Aql Sami Abi al-Muna.

Abi al-Muna “categorically rejects any Israeli intervention or protection” and holds the Syrian state responsible for “finding ways to restore security and stability in the province and across all Syrian regions.”

It is worth noting that clashes between the Druze and the new Syrian authorities were not unprecedented. Last April, bloody confrontations erupted between security forces and Druze gunmen in the towns of Jaramana and Sahnaya near Damascus, killing nearly 120 people. However, the recent events took a more violent turn when the Syrian army, backed by Bedouin tribes, entered Sweida, escalating tensions and triggering widespread unrest.

Relations between the new authorities in Damascus and the Druze have been fragile since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. Sweida, the main stronghold of Syria’s Druze community, has remained outside Damascus’ control.

Diverging Druze Positions

The Druze political scene in Lebanon was far from unified in its response.

Wiam Wahhab, head of the Arab Tawhid Party and a close ally of the former Syrian regime, urged Druze to take up arms and called on the “Lebanese Resistance” (a reference to Hezbollah) to support the Druze in Syria.
He said: “No to surrendering weapons, neither in Syria nor in Lebanon. The alternative to weapons is slaughter and death.”

Conversely, Talal Arslan, leader of the Lebanese Democratic Party, adopted a more diplomatic tone. While expressing concern about the behavior of the new Syrian authorities, he wrote on X that “the Syrian state has become a party to the conflict rather than a mediator among its components,” comparing what is happening in Sweida to events in some coastal areas of Syria in the past.

Arslan called for urgent Arab and international intervention, particularly from the Gulf states.

Political analyst Dr. Makram Rabah considers these differences in Druze leadership positions “natural” but emphasizes that “all these leaders seek the best for the community, especially the Druze of Sweida.”

Similarly, Dr. Ghassan Bou Diab, director of the Center for Democracy for Political and Strategic Studies, says that such differences are “understandable given the historical divisions tied to the Syrian conflict.”
He explains that since the start of the Syrian crisis, Walid Jumblatt has adopted “an approach favoring de-escalation and containment, even at the expense of enduring pain and open wounds.” However, he notes, this approach “does not align with the majority view within the community, whether among religious authorities or public opinion.”

For his part, Sheikh Abi al-Muna urges Druze to “act wisely and calmly,” stressing that they are “partners in the nation and must contribute to its construction.”

He believes restoring calm “requires a joint effort by the state, religious leaders, and the people of the mountain,” and that the proposed political agreement still represents “an opportunity for repair,” expressing hope that it will receive Arab and Islamic sponsorship to build trust between the mountain’s residents and the state. He revealed that he has been in contact with the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon on this matter.

Field Tensions

Druze anger in Lebanon did not remain confined to statements.

Protesters from the Druze community blocked several roads in Mount Lebanon, while videos on social media showed demonstrators chanting in solidarity with Sweida’s residents, and other footage captured violent acts targeting vehicles belonging to Syrians.

Meanwhile, the northern city of Tripoli witnessed marches supporting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Taymour Jumblatt strongly condemned “any attacks on civilians on the roads, regardless of their nationality.”

Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for an end to tensions, saying he had contacted relevant ministers and security chiefs “to take all necessary measures to protect citizens.”

In this context, Abi al-Muna warned of “the danger of strife spilling over into Lebanon,” describing the situation as “extremely difficult amid the street’s turmoil.” He categorically rejected “any attempt to exploit what happened in Sweida to incite sectarian strife in Lebanon.”

He added: “If any Druze youth attack their Sunni brothers—or vice versa—it is unacceptable and condemned in both cases. Security forces must assume their responsibilities and pursue anyone disturbing public order.”

He pointed to “constant communication and firm understanding with Sunni figures, foremost among them the Grand Mufti of Lebanon,” stressing “the need for unity at this stage to prevent extremism and ward off strife, which does not reflect the true nature of the Sunni and Druze communities.”

On this note, Bou Diab said: “The issue is not personal with Ahmed al-Sharaa but with his attempt to revive the model of Abu Mohammad al-Jolani.”
He added: “When the Trump administration and Arab states put their hands in al-Sharaa’s hand, they did so seeing him as a political project open to dialogue, not an extension of al-Jolani. If he now chooses to revert to his old ways, he will become an adversary even to those who once gave him a chance.”