{"id":20076,"date":"2013-11-15T18:28:42","date_gmt":"2013-11-15T23:28:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/?p=20076"},"modified":"2013-11-15T19:11:01","modified_gmt":"2013-11-16T00:11:01","slug":"aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/","title":{"rendered":"Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi: More On The Druze Militias in Southern Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In light of responses to my previous piece on <a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/druze-militias-southern-syria\/\">Druze militias in southern Syria<\/a>, here are some further thoughts:<\/p>\n<p>1. <i>Druze in opposition<\/i>: The initial article drew conclusions that the majority of Druze in Syria who have taken up arms do so on the side of the Assad regime and that there is no evidence of a separatist trend even among Druze militias that might be deemed autonomous. In objection to my conclusions it has been claimed that I intentionally overlooked Druze who are on the side of the opposition, whether political or armed.<\/p>\n<p>However, my assessment was clear that a &#8220;majority&#8221; had taken up arms on the side of the regime, and thus I do not discount Druze on the other side. To give a notable example, we have from the Quneitra region the case of \u201cKatiba Ahrar Ha?r\u201d (Battalion of the Free Men of Ha?r), referring to the Druze village of Ha?r in the Jabal al-Sheikh region.<\/p>\n<p>This battalion was formed on 28 January 2013, in response to some Druze\u2019s disillusionment with regime policies of conscription into the Syrian army as well as apparent extortionist practices on the part of the People\u2019s Committees set up to coordinate the activities of Druze militias with the Syrian army. In the group\u2019s formation video, the battalion declares affiliation with the FSA-banner Military Council of the Quneitra and Golan region.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2013-11-15-at-17.14.19.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20078\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2013-11-15-at-17.14.19-450x281.png\" width=\"450\" height=\"281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2013-11-15-at-17.14.19-450x281.png 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2013-11-15-at-17.14.19.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<b>Figure 1: Announcement of Katiba Ahrar Ha?r on 28 January 2013. Notice the Druze flag on the right and the FSA flag on the left.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In wars with sectarian dynamics, extortionist policies by militias claiming to protect your own sect are hardly surprising. Allegations of such behavior have already emerged from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aymennjawad.org\/12686\/looking-at-alawites\">Alawite areas of Homs<\/a> (a city where sectarian cleansing has been an important element of the urban warfare), and extortion by the Mahdi Army from Shi\u2019a residents in parts of Baghdad during the sectarian civil war in Iraq in 2006-7\/8 is well-known: something that helped to create a degree of Shi\u2019i disillusionment with Muqtada al-Sadr\u2019s militia.<\/p>\n<p>Operating in the al-Aqsa area of northern Quneitra, the battalion has even claimed a martyr: Sheikh Ghassan Saleh Zidane, also known as Abu Adna. He was until his death considered the leader of the battalion and one of the <i>mashayakh<\/i> of Ha?r. The <i>mashayakh <\/i>are an essential senior component of a Druze locality. On announcing his death, the battalion accused the \u201cshabiha of Ha?r\u201d of killing him in an ambush.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/549147_616170361731832_753564027_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20079\" alt=\"549147_616170361731832_753564027_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/549147_616170361731832_753564027_n-450x243.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"243\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/549147_616170361731832_753564027_n-450x243.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/549147_616170361731832_753564027_n.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<b>Figure 2: Photo released on 1 April to announce death of Sheikh Ghassan Saleh Zidane. Notice his body covered with the Druze flag. \u00a0See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=64VQGHUK5Q4\">here<\/a> for a video featuring the corpse.<br \/>\n<\/b><br \/>\nNevertheless, the existence of this battalion does not illustrate a sharp division in the village\u2019s population between pro and anti-regime sentiment. On the contrary, Ha?r remains loyal to the regime, and far more martyrs for the village have been claimed on the side of regime forces, whether of those deemed shabiha or the Syrian army, as the photos below should demonstrate (courtesy of pro-Assad activits in Ha?r).\u00a0From the evidence, there is no reason to suppose an anti-regime Druze autonomist trend in this area.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/184742_476255129101892_1118056984_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20080\" alt=\"184742_476255129101892_1118056984_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/184742_476255129101892_1118056984_n-450x337.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/184742_476255129101892_1118056984_n-450x337.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/184742_476255129101892_1118056984_n.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<b>Figure 3: Tomb of local martyr and Syrian army soldier Ayham Faheem Hamid.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/73362_470529599674445_1640021497_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20081\" alt=\"73362_470529599674445_1640021497_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/73362_470529599674445_1640021497_n.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"206\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<b>Figure 4: Amjad Kamal Mustafa. Note the emphasis on his Druze identity.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/321041_469238749803530_221499406_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20083\" alt=\"321041_469238749803530_221499406_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/321041_469238749803530_221499406_n.jpg\" width=\"403\" height=\"403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/321041_469238749803530_221499406_n.jpg 403w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/321041_469238749803530_221499406_n-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 403px) 100vw, 403px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<b>Figure 5: Bibris Asa\u2019ad Hasoon, a conscripted soldier from Ha?r killed in Idlib province.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/305959_512892778771460_357284137_n1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20084\" alt=\"305959_512892778771460_357284137_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/305959_512892778771460_357284137_n1-450x337.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/305959_512892778771460_357284137_n1-450x337.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/305959_512892778771460_357284137_n1.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<\/b><b>Figure 6: Photo from Ha?r on 9 April. Funeral for local martyrs.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1375652_535770456500279_1315132708_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20085\" alt=\"1375652_535770456500279_1315132708_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1375652_535770456500279_1315132708_n.jpg\" width=\"415\" height=\"241\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nFigure 7: Locals in Ha?r commemorate martyrs for the Syrian army and pro-regime militias. Photo from mid-October.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rafet-Nuqur.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20114\" alt=\"Rafet Nuqur\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rafet-Nuqur-450x364.png\" width=\"450\" height=\"364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rafet-Nuqur-450x364.png 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rafet-Nuqur.png 865w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Figure 8: Local martyr Rafat Aatef Nuqur<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ali-Hasoon.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20115\" alt=\"Ali Hasoon\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ali-Hasoon-450x292.png\" width=\"450\" height=\"292\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ali-Hasoon-450x292.png 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ali-Hasoon.png 865w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Figure 9: Ali Hasoon, another local martyr.<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/944191_551260128268058_1452278466_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20089\" alt=\"944191_551260128268058_1452278466_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/944191_551260128268058_1452278466_n-450x495.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/944191_551260128268058_1452278466_n-450x495.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/944191_551260128268058_1452278466_n.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Figure 10: Ma\u2019aruf Mashhur Wehbe.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Salah-Badr.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20092\" alt=\"Salah Badr\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Salah-Badr-450x272.png\" width=\"450\" height=\"272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Salah-Badr-450x272.png 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Salah-Badr.png 825w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Figure 11: Saleh Badr.<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/960288_531550776905660_1462835416_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20093\" alt=\"960288_531550776905660_1462835416_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/960288_531550776905660_1462835416_n-450x600.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/960288_531550776905660_1462835416_n-450x600.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/960288_531550776905660_1462835416_n.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<b>Figure 12: Osama Nazih Rakan. <\/b><\/p>\n<p>Like the Jaysh al-Muwahhideen circles, the pro-Assad activists of Ha?r have also featured Jaysh al-Muwahhideen\/Abu Ibrahim photos, as below, identical to one in my previous piece but without the Jaysh al-Muwahhideen label but instead advertised \u201cfor your eyes, Ha?r.\u201d Again, this puts into doubt the contention that these militias are somehow autonomous and of a non-cooperative orientation vis-\u00e0-vis the Syrian army via the People\u2019s Committees. Indeed, these photos of Jaysh al-Muwahhideen\/Abu Ibrahim photos are never advertised in any kind of supposed Druze separatist\/autonomist circles, but rather among activists of a clearly pro-Assad orientation.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1464026_614594608601276_2051933642_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20094\" alt=\"1464026_614594608601276_2051933642_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1464026_614594608601276_2051933642_n-450x600.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1464026_614594608601276_2051933642_n-450x600.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1464026_614594608601276_2051933642_n.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<b>Figure 13: Jaysh Abu Ibrahim Druze militiamen. Photo released this month.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Thus, the case of the village of Ha?r should illustrate my point in my previous piece that the majority of Druze who take up arms do so on the side of Assad. Those in the armed opposition are simply outliers. Common sense should tell us that no community is ever completely monolithic in political outlook, but it is wrong to pretend that the exceptions here somehow point to a sharp split of loyalties amongst the Druze of Syria.<\/p>\n<p>The same goes for Druze figures in the political opposition: they are primarily associated with the opposition-in-exile coalition (e.g. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gloria-center.org\/2012\/04\/syria%E2%80%99s-31-percenters-how-bashar-al-asad-built-minority-alliances-and-countered-minority-foes\/\">Jabr al-Shufi<\/a>) that has little credibility on the ground, and so invoking such figures as evidence for Druze sympathy on-the-ground for the opposition is in fact much more dubious than invoking the few Druze who form and join FSA-banner groups.<\/p>\n<p>2. <i>Syrian Druze and Israel<\/i>: Given the existence of a Druze community in the Galilee area that tends not to identify with Arabist causes and is in fact pro-Israel, one might ask how the Druze in Syria view their Israeli brethren. There is an interesting trend in the Jaysh al-Muwahhideen circles whereby photos are put up of Druze soldiers serving in the Israeli Defence Force\u2019s (IDF) Sword Battalion, as per the examples below.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/996636_620150554707999_311300453_n-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20095\" alt=\"996636_620150554707999_311300453_n (1)\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/996636_620150554707999_311300453_n-1-450x613.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"613\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/996636_620150554707999_311300453_n-1-450x613.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/996636_620150554707999_311300453_n-1.jpg 528w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1461168_618671738189214_2062622361_n-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20096\" alt=\"1461168_618671738189214_2062622361_n (1)\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1461168_618671738189214_2062622361_n-1.jpg\" width=\"403\" height=\"403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1461168_618671738189214_2062622361_n-1.jpg 403w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1461168_618671738189214_2062622361_n-1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 403px) 100vw, 403px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<b>Figures 14 and 15: Druze soldiers in the IDF Sword Battalion.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Is this reconcilable with the contention in my previous piece regarding Syrian Druze hostility to Israel? Yes. Notice that in these photos the Israeli flag is not openly on display, and these photos, if any caption is given, are advertised as soldiers of \u201cBattalion 299\u201d without any explicit reference to the army in which they serve. The concern here is simply to reflect notions of Druze solidarity and ideals of Druze unity and power. Note also the images below from Jaysh al-Muwahhiddeen circles purporting to show Druze loyalty to Syria in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and resentment over the treatment of Druzes by the \u201csoldiers of the occupation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1377581_600971899964192_1187366993_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20097\" alt=\"1377581_600971899964192_1187366993_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1377581_600971899964192_1187366993_n-450x674.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"674\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1377581_600971899964192_1187366993_n-450x674.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1377581_600971899964192_1187366993_n.jpg 482w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<b>Figure 16: Druze man in occupied Golan Heights waves the flag of Syria. Note Jaysh al-Muwahhideen label in top left-hand corner.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1395332_599533296774719_1195590802_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20099\" alt=\"1395332_599533296774719_1195590802_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1395332_599533296774719_1195590802_n-450x367.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1395332_599533296774719_1195590802_n-450x367.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1395332_599533296774719_1195590802_n.jpg 465w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nFigure 17: Photo in Jaysh al-Muwahhideen circles purporting to show Israeli mistreatment of Druze in the occupied Golan Heights.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Druze-Syria-Support.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20102\" alt=\"Druze Syria Support\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Druze-Syria-Support-450x262.png\" width=\"450\" height=\"262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Druze-Syria-Support-450x262.png 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Druze-Syria-Support.png 865w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Figure 18: From a Druze page based in Lebanon, which like the Jaysh al-Muwahhideen pages features photos of Druze soldiers in Battalion 299. This photo hosted by the same page shows Druze support for Syria and Syrian nationalist Druze leader Sultan al-Atrash. No similar gestures of Druze support for Israel would be featured.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To round off, here are some more photos of Druze militiamen in Syria put out under the Jaysh al-Muwahhideen label.<\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jabal-Sheikh-Guy.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20104\" alt=\"Jabal Sheikh Guy\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jabal-Sheikh-Guy-450x381.png\" width=\"450\" height=\"381\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jabal-Sheikh-Guy-450x381.png 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jabal-Sheikh-Guy.png 818w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nFigure 19: From Jabal al-Sheikh.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1460195_610995565628492_1300578059_n-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20105\" alt=\"1460195_610995565628492_1300578059_n (1)\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1460195_610995565628492_1300578059_n-1-450x253.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1460195_610995565628492_1300578059_n-1-450x253.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1460195_610995565628492_1300578059_n-1.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<\/b><b>Figure 20: From the town of Ha?r, Jabal al-Sheikh. Note the fighter wearing a jacket with the Syrian flag.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1017187_610205489040833_1526002184_n-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20106\" alt=\"1017187_610205489040833_1526002184_n (1)\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1017187_610205489040833_1526002184_n-1-450x599.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1017187_610205489040833_1526002184_n-1-450x599.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1017187_610205489040833_1526002184_n-1.jpg 542w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<\/b><b>Figure 21: Near the town of Ha?r in Jabal al-Sheikh. In light of the presence of the Syrian army tank, overlap is implied between Druze irregulars in this area and the Syrian army.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/544174_613861405341908_1328882209_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20107\" alt=\"544174_613861405341908_1328882209_n\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/544174_613861405341908_1328882209_n-450x253.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/544174_613861405341908_1328882209_n-450x253.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/544174_613861405341908_1328882209_n.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<\/b><b>Figure 22: Jabal al-Sheikh.<br \/>\n<\/b><b><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/BZHk5gPCUAAuhKo.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20109\" alt=\"BZHk5gPCUAAuhKo\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/BZHk5gPCUAAuhKo-450x252.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"252\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/BZHk5gPCUAAuhKo-450x252.jpg 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/BZHk5gPCUAAuhKo.jpg 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<b>Figure 23: Druze militiamen in Arna, Jabal al-Sheikh. \u201cForces of Abu Ibrahim: Jaysh al-Muwahhideen.\u201d Note the Druze colours on the gun in the middle of the photo.<\/b><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/BZAzscRCMAAze6J.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20108\" alt=\"BZAzscRCMAAze6J\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/BZAzscRCMAAze6J-450x281.png\" width=\"450\" height=\"281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/BZAzscRCMAAze6J-450x281.png 450w, https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/BZAzscRCMAAze6J.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<\/b><b>Figure 24: Druze militiamen with the Syrian flag. Note the individual on the right with a portrait of Assad on his shirt.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/BZBPlj-CQAALwP4.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20110\" alt=\"BZBPlj-CQAALwP4\" src=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/BZBPlj-CQAALwP4.jpg\" width=\"406\" height=\"722\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Figure 25: Druze fighters stand over the corpse of a dead rebel.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><i>Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi is a student at Brasenose College, Oxford University, and a Shillman-Ginsburg Fellow at the Middle East Forum. His website is<\/i>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.aymennjawad.org\/\"><i>http:\/\/www.aymennjawad.org<\/i><\/a><i>. Follow on Twitter:<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ajaltamimi\"><i>@ajaltamimi<\/i><\/a><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In light of responses to my previous piece on Druze militias in southern Syria, here are some further thoughts: 1. Druze in opposition: The initial article drew conclusions that the majority of Druze in Syria who have taken up arms do so on the side of the Assad regime and that there is no evidence [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12,122],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-druze","category-free-syrian-army"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.8.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi: More On The Druze Militias in Southern Syria  - Syria Comment<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi: More On The Druze Militias in Southern Syria  - Syria Comment\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In light of responses to my previous piece on Druze militias in southern Syria, here are some further thoughts: 1. Druze in opposition: The initial article drew conclusions that the majority of Druze in Syria who have taken up arms do so on the side of the Assad regime and that there is no evidence [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Syria Comment\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-11-15T23:28:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2013-11-16T00:11:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2013-11-15-at-17.14.19-450x281.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Aymenn Al-Tamimi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ajaltamimi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@joshua_landis\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Aymenn Al-Tamimi\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/\",\"name\":\"Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi: More On The Druze Militias in Southern Syria - Syria Comment\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2013-11-15-at-17.14.19-450x281.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2013-11-15T23:28:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2013-11-16T00:11:01+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1314ca528fef2d6d58fec34afc71d4db\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2013-11-15-at-17.14.19-450x281.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2013-11-15-at-17.14.19-450x281.png\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi: More On The Druze Militias in Southern Syria\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Syria Comment\",\"description\":\"Syrian politics, history, and religion\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1314ca528fef2d6d58fec34afc71d4db\",\"name\":\"Aymenn Al-Tamimi\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/x.com\/ajaltamimi\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/author\/aymenn\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi: More On The Druze Militias in Southern Syria  - Syria Comment","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/aymenn-jawad-al-tamimi-druze-militias-southern-syria\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi: More On The Druze Militias in Southern Syria  - Syria Comment","og_description":"In light of responses to my previous piece on Druze militias in southern Syria, here are some further thoughts: 1. 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