More than 30 local armed factions in Syria's Suwayda region have announced their formation into a new "National Guard" to defend the Druze community from future attacks by Bedouin tribes allied with the Damascus government and thus prevent a repeat of the violent clashes in July that left nearly 1,700 dead.
The National Guard, which will also be known by its alternative name, the Unified National Army, was unveiled this Saturday, coinciding with the Syrian Electoral Commission's decision to postpone the region's national legislative elections scheduled for September "for security reasons."
This new formation will follow the orders of the man who has become the region's strongman, the "spiritual leader" of the Druze community, Hikmat al-Hijri.
"The National Guard will adhere to the guidance of the spiritual presidency of the Druze sect, represented by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who is considered the legitimate figure authorized to express the community's public position," they said in their statement, published by Syrian media.
The new structure aims to work in cooperation with local forces and support units with the mission of "defending the mountain"—a reference to Mount Druze, the high ground of Sueida and a historical symbol of the community—and "preserving the Druze unitary identity," adds the presentation note of the new armed formation, which excludes small Druze groups loyal to the Damascus authorities.
