Spotlight: Druze leaders form force to protect Swaida city in Syria

The heartland of Swaida in southern Syria has become flanked by extremist groups, so religious leaders of the Druze minority formed a force called the "Homeland Shield" to protect themselves in cooperation with the government army.

FORMING THE FORCE

The founder of the group, Sheikh Youssef Jarbu, a top Druze cleric, said the creation of a Druze force has become necessary due to the recent threat by Islamic State (IS) militants located at the eastern rim of Swaida, as well as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, whose fighters are attempting to storm a town in western Swaida.

"The Homeland Shield group appeared now owing to the current situation that we are living through as well as the war waged against Syria," Jarbu told Xinhua during an interview in Swaida.

"The basis of this group is the self-defense concept in every town or village seeking to protect itself."

He said the group is newly formed, "because it did not occur to us that we would need to resort to such a measure as Swaida was more or less far from any direct threat."

Earlier June, the Nusra Front attacked the Thaaleh airbase in a town with the same name, just 10 km west of Swaida. The attack was paired by mortar shells against the city, and deeply disturbed city residents since their city had so far been largely calm during the four-year-old conflict, and the airbase attacks were the first violent events to fracture their peace.

IS militants took a predominantly Bedouin town to the east of Swaida, and attacked the Druze town of Al-Haqef, just 45 km from central Swaida.

Townspeople, backed by a Syrian government airstrike, repelled the IS attack, but they fear that the IS will strike again, as with Thaaleh, where the army and Druze fighters repressed two massive offensives.

However also fear that the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front will attempt to strike again.

"The Homeland Shield emerged in order to boost our people's self-defense on the frontlines, considered the first defense line, in order to protect themselves until help from the Syrian army arrives," Jarbu told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, Jarbu declined to disclose the size of new force, only saying the group is led by retired military officers.

He said people from every village and town in Swaida joined the Homeland Shield.

AWAITING GOVERNMENT RECOGNITION

Jarbu said Syrian authorities have not yet officially recognized the group, but he expects official recognition soon.

"We applied to the authorities to officially acknowledge it," he said. "In principle the authorities did not oppose the formation of such a militia, though we await official approval from the authorities."

Jarbu said the Syrian army is capable of defending Swaida, "however the army has been at war for four years and cannot be everywhere in Syria at the same time."

The revered cleric said the Druze force is part of a much needed joint effort between civil society and the Syrian army in facing attacks against Swaida, the main stronghold of the Druze minority in Syria.

He noted that the group is not "literally independent," but a "auxiliary force" to the Syrian army, and that there will be full cooperation between the Druze force and government troops.

NEED FOR WEAPONS

Equipped only with simple personal light rifles and shotguns, the volunteers of the Homeland Shield call for the provision of more weapons.

Jarbu said Syrian authorities and Druze leaders are working to find a suitable solution for the distribution of weapons.

"All we need is weapons," said Abu Naim, from Al-Haqef. "We have the men, give us weapons."

DEFENDING HOMELAND IS ULTIMATE GOAL

Nayyef al-Akel, an ex-military officer who now leads the Homeland Shield, said his group's goal is not offensive, only defensive.

"We will not attack anyone," al-Akel said. "But if they attack us, we will imbue them with an unforgettable scolding."

Al-Akel said the latest battle his group was involved in was when the Nusra Front and its allied militants attempted to capture the Thaaleh airbase, adding that they fought under the flag of Syria and the Syrian army.

"The Homeland Shield is a military group whose main task is to defend Swaida," he said. "We will not permit any other force in the world to infiltrate our land by any means." Endit