{"id":131508,"date":"2025-10-28T09:51:52","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T09:51:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/?p=131508"},"modified":"2025-10-28T09:51:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T09:51:54","slug":"druze-village-in-suwayda-struggles-to-rebuild-after-months-of-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/131508\/","title":{"rendered":"Druze village in Suwayda struggles to rebuild after months of violence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) \u2013<\/strong> Nearly three months after the wave of violence that swept through Suwayda Governorate in southern Syria, the village of Majdal, located in the governorate\u2019s northwestern countryside, is making slow and fragile efforts to return to normal life. Yet the destruction and devastation left behind continue to delay the restoration of even the most basic services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite widespread damage and the lack of electricity, water, and telecommunications, Majdal\u2019s residents are determined to rebuild and adapt to their harsh new reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burned homes and collapsed services<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Anas Hossam al-Salman, a resident of Majdal, described to North Press the aftermath of the July 17 attack that forced most villagers to flee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We came back to our homes and found that half of the houses had been burned down,” al-Salman said. “My house, located at the entrance of the village near the university, was completely burned.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He recalled that Majdal was once \u201cone of the most beautiful villages to live in,\u201d with around 40 shops and four pharmacies serving the community. \u201cWhen we returned, we found nothing left. Now there is only one shop open,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to residents, basic infrastructure was systematically targeted. \u201cThere\u2019s no electricity; even the power transformers were destroyed, deliberately hindering our return. The wells no longer function, and the bakery operates only once every three or four days,\u201d al-Salman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suwayda, a predominantly Druze governorate in southern Syria, descended into turmoil in mid-July after a local dispute quickly escalated into widespread intercommunal violence. The clashes pitted local Druze militias against Sunni Bedouin tribal fighters and, at times, forces affiliated with the Syrian transitional government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weekslong unrest left behind a trail of mass killings, looting, forced displacement, and a surge in abductions and enforced disappearances\u2014events that continue to reverberate across the region. International human rights organizations have documented serious violations and urged for an independent investigation into the abuses committed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response, Syria\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sept. 16 a six-step roadmap to address the crisis, developed with U.S. and Jordanian backing. The plan outlined measures to hold perpetrators accountable, restore basic services, compensate victims, and facilitate a reconciliation process involving Suwayda residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, many in Suwayda rejected the initiative, denouncing it as a joint attempt by Washington and Amman to bolster the Syrian government\u2019s influence in the south. Local groups instead called for genuine self-determination and the immediate release of abducted civilians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daily struggles and enduring hardship  <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dawoud Hunaidi, another resident of Majdal, said the attack was \u201cbrutal,\u201d accusing both transitional government security forces and allied tribal groups of committing \u201ccrimes of killing, looting, burning, and displacement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“After a short time, people began returning to the village, but public services were almost non-existent,” he added. “Electricity, water, bread, and telecommunications, all were cut off due to gunfire and extensive destruction.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the difficult circumstances, Hunaidi urged displaced families to return, saying, \u201cWe have no alternative to our homeland.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calls for rehabilitation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Basil Areij, a resident of Majdal, stressed the urgent need to restore basic services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Today, what we need most in Majdal are basic services,” Areij said. “Thankfully, residents have begun returning and conditions are slowly improving. We hope the relevant authorities will give Majdal the attention it deserves.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Areij highlighted education as one of the most pressing concerns, explaining that \u201cthere are more than 116 students in the village, which places a heavy burden on families whose children must study outside Majdal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uncertain future<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the transitional government\u2019s investigative committee, the Supreme Legal Committee<\/a>, formed by the spiritual leadership of the Druze community, continues to manage Suwayda\u2019s legal, service, and security affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, with the relationship between Damascus and Suwayda still unsettled, and with accountability and compensation for victims unresolved, living conditions across the governorate remain dire. The restoration of services and infrastructure has become a critical demand for residents hoping to rebuild their lives after months of turmoil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople here are exhausted,\u201d said Areij. \u201cWe just want life to return to normal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporting by Haroun al-Arbid<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Editing by Jwan Shekaki<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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