Druze communities near Damascus are refusing to surrender their weapons to the new Syrian government, citing fears of further attacks by Sunni militants, according to a Reuters report.
The report stated that the new government, led by Islamist groups, has negotiated arrangements allowing Druze fighters to protect their territories as enlisted members of Syria’s security forces. However, this week, it requested that all weapons held by residents in these areas be surrendered to the state.
Community leaders maintain they will not disarm until the government can guarantee their safety.
“As soon as there is a state capable of regulating its forces, we’ll have no problem handing in our weapons,” Makram Obeid, a member of a local committee negotiating with officials, told Reuters.
The government’s demand follows last week’s attack on the towns of Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, which left more than 120 Druze civilians dead and dozens abducted. The clashes between the Druze community and government forces erupted after an audio recording, considered insulting to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, circulated, provoking outrage among government forces.
Israel, which has a large Druze population, responded to the recent violence by setting up a medical station in southern Syria, near the village of Hader. The Israeli military said the mobile unit is there to treat wounded Druze and support their safety.
“The facility is part of a number of efforts that the IDF is carrying out to support the Syrian Druze population,” the Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday.
The IDF built a field hospital in Syria for the Druze. Serious cases are transferred to civilian hospitals in Israel. Dozens of Druze have been hospitalized in Israel in the past weeks, including a mother in labor who gave birth in Ziv,Tzfat. Care is free. Actions, not words.> pic.twitter.com/hOgs9MZFdb
— Rachel Gur (@RachelGur) May 8, 2025
Israel has also increased its military presence inside southern Syria, setting up nine positions in the UN-monitored buffer zone. Troops have been operating up to 15 kilometers inside Syria, targeting armed groups and weapons caches. The IDF said it aims to prevent any faction, including government forces, from gaining a foothold in the area.
On Monday, Israeli forces destroyed what they called the former Syrian regime’s main headquarters on Mount Hermon. The raid uncovered artillery, rockets, explosives, and other weapons, which were seized or destroyed.
On Wednesday, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed that his government is engaged in indirect talks with Israel via a backchannel established in the United Arab Emirates aimed at preventing further violence in Syria.
