Druze Factions in al-Suwayda' after the National Guard Merger: Interview with a Constituent Group

Since late August, virtually all Druze armed factions in the southern Syrian province of al-Suwayda’ have merged into the ‘National Guard’ initiative that is endorsed by Hikmat al-Hijri (one of the three most senior spiritual Druze leaders in Syria, and the one with the most influence in al-Suwayda’).

For now, this ‘National Guard’ and the accompanying civil administration serve as placeholders in what is an ongoing impasse between the central government and the Druze community in al-Suwayda’, which continues to experience a humanitarian crisis on account of shortages of goods and deficiencies in services as the central government has the monopoly on access to goods and resources. It would appear that the central government is continuing to hope that al-Hijri and those who have rallied around them will eventually give ground.

The armed factions that constitute the ‘National Guard’ come from a variety of backgrounds and orientations. Below is an interview with one of its constituents, called Quwat Fursan Hamza (“Forces of Hamza’s Knights”), which has recently been rebranded as ‘Battalion 501- Special Assignments’ of the National Guard.

Emblem of Battalion 501


Q: When was Quwat Fursan Hamza formed and to whom does Hamza refer?