Syria’s Suwayda forms own army amid security concerns

Shafaq News/ A new military force is being established in Syria’s southern Suwayda province, with an official announcement expected in the coming days.

The proposed army could be integrated into the Syrian Ministry of Defense if a nationwide agreement is reached. One of the primary conditions for such a deal is “the elimination of jihadist influence in Syria and the creation of a non-ideological, national military,” according to Erem News.

The decision follows recent security threats targeting Suwayda, the agency indicated, noting that volunteering for the new force will be open on an individual basis, with no existing local factions to be absorbed in their current form.

“The key aim behind establishing the army is to move beyond the current factional structure dominating the area.”

Suwayda has witnessed multiple armed clashes in recent months involving local and irregular factions, some of which resulted in casualties. Fighting subsided after a local security agreement was reached with Damascus, allowing for the integration of Suwayda-based forces into the Syrian General Security Directorate to oversee local security.

While this army is designated exclusively for Suwayda, the concerns of other areas with large Druze populations—including Jaramana, Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, Rif Dimashq, and the villages of Mount Hermon—will be addressed separately, in a manner consistent with their unique geographic and local conditions. Details about these arrangements remain preliminary.