The 'National Guard' in al-Suwayda' and Recent Developments: Interview
Interview with a Leading Figure in the 'National Guard'
The ‘National Guard’- the conglomeration of Druze armed factions that still control most of the majority-Druze province of al-Suwayda’ in southern Syria- has recently come into focus again amid a prison break in which the Syrian government forces managed to secure the escape of three detainees being held by the ‘National Guard’. The prison break was reportedly done with the help of certain personnel of the ‘National Guard’, prompting internal investigations and shuffles. While some pro-government pundits and observers exaggerated the events with talk of a supposed internal coup and false rumours of the assassination of Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri (who backs the ‘National Guard’ project), there is no doubt that the prison break comes within the context of the government working to undermine the ‘National Guard’ over the long-run, including by promoting disunity, trying to encourage defections, and attrition on the frontlines between its forces and those of the ‘National Guard.’
To discuss the most recent developments, including the prison break, coup claims and allegations by pro-government pundits and analysts, below is an interview I conducted yesterday with Ashraf Jamul, a prominent figure in the ‘National Guard’ I have known from the days before Assad’s fall, when I interviewed him as part of covering the protests in al-Suwayda’ against the regime in 2023. Jamul is firmly behind the ‘National Guard’ project and the notion of separation from Syria. He was also recently named among a list of ‘National Guard’ figures attacked by pro-government Druze figure Sulayman ‘Abd al-Baqi (head of ‘internal security’ for the government in al-Suwayda’ province), who called Ashraf and others ‘students of Kifah al-Mulham’ (who once served as head of military intelligence under the Assad regime) and the right-hand men of the ‘traitor’ Hijri.
