Efforts to establish a so-called “Unified Army” in Syria’s Sweida province have stirred controversy within the Druze community, with several major local factions reluctant to join.
One faction declared its participation “out of the question for now,” citing a lack of clarity over the project spearheaded by Sheikh al-Aql Hikmat al-Hijri, the community’s spiritual leader. Critics warned the initiative was unlikely to gain traction, as it appears limited to Druze fighters.
Reports circulated on social media Tuesday that al-Hijri had launched a plan to merge Sweida’s armed groups under a single banner, the “Unified Army.” Some factions quickly declared their affiliation, but others voiced skepticism. The initiative comes amid volatile shifts in Sweida, a predominantly Druze province, following bloody clashes in mid-July between Druze factions, Bedouin tribes, and Syrian security forces.
Opponents of al-Hijri contend the “Unified Army” is essentially a rebranded version of the “National Guard,” a force proposed months earlier. They argued the project is doomed to fail, relying heavily on former officers of the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime. Initially, the National Guard was tied to the “Military Council” in Sweida, led by defected Colonel Tariq al-Shufi, who had supported al-Hijri’s positions. However, recent disputes fractured their alliance, culminating in al-Shufi’s abduction by gunmen before his release was negotiated by local factions.
Sources said the “Military Council” has since been sidelined from the new project, with al-Hijri’s supporters now lobbying villages across the province to bring factions under his authority. Young men are reportedly being enticed to enlist with promises of a $300 monthly salary. While many initially registered, critics say only one month’s payment was ever delivered under the earlier National Guard structure, leading to widespread withdrawals.
Opposition sources further alleged that some groups now joining the “Unified Army” maintain ties to Assad’s military intelligence and that their fighters have been implicated in abuses, theft, and kidnappings in Sweida.
While pro-Hijri sources in the city claim the new force could number between 4,000 and 5,000 fighters, others told Asharq Al-Awsat the estimate is grossly inflated, arguing that only a handful of factions have joined, with most numbering no more than 20 men each.
Al-Hijri, who shares Druze religious authority in Syria with fellow Sheikhs Yusuf Jarbou and Hammoud al-Hinawi, has positioned himself as a vocal critic of Damascus since the fall of Assad’s rule late last year. His rhetoric hardened further after July’s deadly violence, which left hundreds of civilians, Druze fighters, Bedouins, and Syrian government troops dead during clashes sparked by tribal disputes.
