Syria's Druze seek access to Rojava as Kurds send humanitarian aid

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria’s Druze on Thursday called for the opening of a route to connect them with the Kurdish administration in northeast Syria (Rojava), as recent attacks by Damascus-affiliated forces on the religious minority in Suwayda have triggered a dire humanitarian crisis. Rojava authorities have expressed solidarity with the Druze and announced plans to send them aid. 

The Druze spiritual leadership on Thursday said in a statement that they demand "opening of roads towards our Kurdish brothers," referring to Rojava. It also appealed to Jordan to open a border crossing with Suwayda in southern Syria "given the humanitarian importance of these routes in these critical moments." 

Clashes erupted earlier this week between the Druze and Sunni Bedouin tribes in Suwayda, Syria’s predominantly Druze province. The Syrian army intervened and took control of most of the province, which had been under the rule of Druze militants since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December. A ceasefire was reached on Wednesday between Damascus and the Druze following US intervention and Israeli support for the minority group. Syrian army withdrew from Suwayda following the truce. 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based war monitor which relies on a network of sources within Syria, said on Thursday that nearly 600 people were killed in the clashes. Nearly half of the casualties are residents of Suwayda. 

The Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES), or Rojava, said in a statement on Thursday that "based on our moral and humanitarian duty... we announce that we are sending a batch of urgent humanitarian aid to our people in Suwayda province, who are facing extremely difficult humanitarian conditions as a result of field developments and recent attacks on their areas, which have led to deteriorating living and service conditions."

The Kurds in northeast and the Druze in the south have maintained strong ties since the fall of the regime. 

A large number of people took to the streets of Qamishli in Rojava on Thursday to show solidarity with the Druze community. 

Mazloum Abdi, chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said on Wednesday that they had received appeals from the Druze in Suwayda to "secure safe passages for civilians and to stop the attacks targeting them."

The clashes led to the displacement of thousands of people from Suwayda. 

"The cause of our Druze people is a national issue, and its solution must be constitutional and through resorting to dialogue," Abdi said. 

Attacks on the Druze included disrespecting the minority group. Footage of Damascus-affiliated fighters forcibly shaving off the moustaches of the Druze people went viral. The Syrian presidency said it was investigating the violations.

A resident of Suwayda sent a video of her house to Rudaw on Wednesday, describing their fear and violations committed by Damascus-affiliated security forces. 

“We have been besieged in Suwayda. We cannot leave Suwayda at all. Suwayda has been completely besieged. We have also been besieged in the house, and we have been under mortar attacks in a frightening way for three days, meaning the mortar attacks do not cease and there is gunfire and street fighting. Snippers have been placed in all parts of Suwayda,” she noted.