Alwaght- While three months have gone since Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) seized the power in Syria and while it was predicted that sooner than later the relative stability in the country will afresh suffer from a security chaos, the performance of the HTS government finally sparked the home conflict, intensifying the worries about a vague future outlook beyond the focus of the media camera lens on the showcase of Ahmed al-Sharaa's civilized positions.
After repeated protests of the Syrian minorities at the HTS policies, now these protests have upgraded to become a direct confrontation. In this connection, media reported clashes between Druze armed groups in Jaramana in Damascus suburbs and forces loyal to al-Sharaa, better known for his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the former militia commander and current interim president of Syria.
According to claims by the interim government officials, the security tensions erupted on Friday after two members of the internal security forces were killed by Druze gunmen in Jaramana. The security officials called on Jaramana tribal leaders to immediately hand over those who killed the security forces, but received no response.
According to some sources, Syrian security officials have given the Jaramana gunmen five days to hand over their weapons and remove street barriers. In addition, security and military forces have also arrived in Jaramana and set up checkpoints around it.
Druze militias of As Suwayda, too, attacked Jaramana, seizing its control from the al-Jolani forces. A Druze military council announced high alert and the Druze have reportedly taken to the streets and are ready for deployment to Damascus to fight al-Jolani forces.
Ambiguity surrounding HTS governance
The Druze anger is a starting point of civil disobedience against the situation the HTS leaders have caused in Syria. Ambiguities and conflict between the remarks and actions of al-Sharaa and other HTS leaders, especially regarding the treatment of minorities and the style of governance, have led to heightened distrust and divisions among Syrian minorities. The recent clashes with the Druze community are an example of the consequences of these ambiguities, which could lead to increased tensions and further instability in the region.
After fall of President Bashar al-Assad, al-Sharaa has adopted a reconciliatory tone and called for national unity, protection of the minorities, and dissolution of the armed groups. In his interviews, he claimed that the HTS seeks a comprehensive and non-sectarian government representing all Syrian communities. However, he reneged on his promise shortly later, saying that government formation is a time-taking process and there be no elections for four years. He was picked by the HTS militia leaders as interim president last month, solidifying pillars of his rule.
Despite the leaders of the armed groups claiming independence of the Syrian National Congress Preparatory Committee, there is ample evidence that al-Sharaa has extensive influence over the decisions of this body. The appointment of committee members by al-Sharaa and the presence of individuals with a history of affiliation with armed groups in this committee have raised concerns about its independence and true intentions.
The HTS, which emerged from the ideological origins of takfiri thought, has in recent years seemingly tried to present itself differently from the past, and these changes have created ambiguities about the true intentions of the group and its political goals. The fact that al-Jolani, wearing a suit and tie and breaking with his traditional look, talks about implementing democracy and supporting minority rights has still not been able to eliminate the public pessimism and the security dilemma for religious and ethnic minorities in Syria, especially since what the Syrian people see in practice is the opposite of what al-Jolani says.
Even contrary to his claims, the militias have not changed ideologically and the past radical thought remains entrenched in the mind of these takfiri groups and therefore the change of rhetoric and appearance of the leaders cannot whitewash the body of these groups. Despite the HTS efforts to improve the relationship with the minorities, there are reports of violation of their rights in areas under its control, including arbitrary detentions and, suppression, and massacare.
The Syrian people gave the armed groups three months to prove their efficiency and to show if they deserve respect, but the process of change did not go as they expected, and now the majority of the people have realized the fact that under the banner of HTS they cannot achieve what they want, namely stability and a democratic government, and therefore they consider armed action the only way to reform the new governance structures. Because the inclusive government that al-Jolani promised did not happen in practice, and the minorities that have lived in Syria for centuries were simply excluded from the circle of power.
Israel riding on Syria instability
Since Israel takes advantage of any tensions in Syria for its evil aims, this time, too, it is building excuses on the clashes between the government and Druzes to pave the way for its occupation.
Following the internal Syrian tensions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Syrian government that if attacks on the Druze continue, Israel will take immediate action. The Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced that they will not allow the "radical regime" in Syria to harm the Druze. However, the Netanyahu government did not stop at just threatening and moved to occupy new areas in southern Syria under the ruse of defending the Druze.
The Israeli supportive gesture to the Druze comes while this minority, during the al-Assad rule had a cautious view of the Israeli regime and even expressed their opposition to Tel Aviv’s policies at times.
The Druze, as a religious minority in Syria, have always struggled to maintain their identity and security. As HTS's influence in Druze-populated areas has increased, tensions between these groups have increased, and the ambiguity of HTS policies and goals has raised concerns about the political and social future of the Druze-populated areas.
The Druze are one of the major minorities in Syria that have long coexisted peacefully alongside other ethnic groups. As Suwayda province is the only province where the Druze are in the majority and they make up only three percent of Syria’s population. Reports suggests that many groups of the Druze minority in As Suwayda are armed and could pose a serious challenge to the armed groups based in Damascus.
These clashes indicate further complications in the Syrian crisis. The Druze, as a religious minority, are struggling to maintain autonomy and security from armed groups. Therefore, the possible entry of the Israeli army into these conflicts could lead to an escalation of tensions and a further complication of the situation.
Dim outlook of Syria under HTS rule
With the current performance of the takfiri groups in the country's political structures, security and stability are dream for the country, and given the dispositions of the armed groups, setting hopes on realization of democracy is meaningless. The tensions, experts warn, will up the distrust of the minorities in the new rulers of Damascus and odds are other Syrians of other parts of the country will rebel against the interim government.
The recent clashes may deepen sectarian divisions in Syria, particularly between the HTS and minorities such as the Druze. Such tensions could ignite wider conflict and undermine efforts for national reconciliation.
From another aspect, the internal conflict can provide intervention excuses for regional and international powers, something poised to compound the already complicated situation in Syria. An example is the Israeli stances in support of the Druze community. Such developments could lead to further instability in the region and complicate international diplomatic efforts, as the international community has conditioned any engagement with the HTS-led government on respecting minority rights and establishing a democratic government, and if the rulers in Damascus continue their repression and radicalism, they will remain politically isolated.
All in all, the recent clashes indicate a complicated challenge standing in the way of governance in a diverse Syrian society after civil war and crisis. The recent clashes have revealed the ethnic-sectarian tensions in Syria can leave heavy impacts on the security and political future of the country.
Despite the HTS efforts to create a comprehensive picture of their rule, the distrust of the minorities and recent clashes suggest that to build a sustainable peace, new Syrian rulers need deeper interactions with minorities and to make real arrangements and share power with them.
