723:. He survived the assassination. However, he later died at a hospital due to injuries from the attack. Later on the same day, a Syrian government military intelligence position was attacked by gunmen. However, the Sheikh al-Karama Forces denied it was behind the attack on the military intelligence outpost. Wissam reportedly led his own faction in the group that held tensions with the main leadership and was previously the target of an assassination attempt in April 2019, and both Wissam's faction and the main leadership have accused each other of committing crimes including kidnappings and murder.
26:
988:
124:
566:
178:
100:
112:
668:
necessarily opposed to it, but rather wanted reform and steps to be taken to reduce corruption within the Syrian government. There was also speculation as to whether he wanted to establish his own separatist Druze state or make a deal with the FSA for autonomy. Despite this, however, his supporters were known to use the
699:
that has left
Suwayda largely unaffected. After the assassination, the group released a statement blaming the government. However, they expressed they would continue to work within a framework supported by the government. A new leader also took over the group named Yahya al-Hajjar. However, due to
658:
The al-Karama Forces' are led by brothers, named Layth and Fahd al-Balaous who are the sons of a prominent local named Wahid al-Balaous who established a militia in 2012 called the "Men of
Dignity" in Suwayda. There was also an internal conflict in the group between the group's leadership and a
738:
On 26 March 2020, the group clashed with the Syrian military in the southern part of the
Suywada governorate. During the clashes, 4 fighters belonging to the Sheikh al-Karama Forces were killed and 1 pro-government fighter was killed. After the clashes, the al-Karama Forces announced they were
667:
The Men of
Dignity emerged in 2014 with supporters of Wahid al-Balaous who was a dissident of the government in the Druze community and initially called for the removal of the Syrian government. However, he and his movement were noted as neither being supportive of the Syrian government nor
726:
On 4 December 2019, the group released a statement that called on natives of the
Suwayda governorate abroad to send financial aid due to a reported increase in poverty in the area; the group also denounced aid programs from the Syrian government and
715:
paramilitary forces in
Suwayda, over the government's seizure of a house in the city years prior, that belonged to a member of the Syrian opposition, after the member's family asked the group to help them retake the house from the government.
625:
locals, the group was led by two brothers who are the sons of the founder of another Druze militia group called the Men of
Dignity in 2012 and led his group until his death in 2015. The group has clashed with Syrian government forces and
1022:
700:
disagreements with al-Hajjar's leadership, the
Balaous brothers split from the Men of Dignity and formed the Sheikh al-Karama Forces. However, they do not hold tensions with the Men of Dignity.
732:
451:
739:
increasing their level of preparedness for future confrontations with the government, and days prior to the clashes the group swapped prisoners with the government.
832:
695:
emerged that Druze militants were joining the Free Syrian Army, and that a new Druze FSA group had been established in
Suwayda, as part of the greater
712:
419:
1037:
630:
on numerous occasions, though the group has fought with Syrian government forces and allied paramilitaries it was not part of the nationwide
428:
867:
993:
849:
753:
596:
1042:
1027:
82:
886:
910:
789:
768:
684:
instead, and does reject Druze cooperation with the
Israeli government. The Men of Dignity also did not oppose the
234:
958:
790:"Sheikh al-Karama Forces attack the Syrian regime and describe its security branches as "human slaughterhouses""
928:
688:. However, they did oppose the government's conscription program and instead wanted to focus on local defense.
193:
25:
1032:
647:
614:
549:
460:
296:
87:
719:
On 3 May 2019, one of the group's commanders named Wissam Eid was killed by unidentified gunmen south of
642:
and the group have been targeted by the Syrian government, the group claims that several members of the
639:
273:
748:
534:
351:
301:
929:""Sheikh Al-Karama Forces" carry out mission against Syrian regime's intelligence in rural Suwaida"
589:
474:
681:
479:
437:
321:
144:
731:. The group also claims that the government intentionally neglects the governorate, and called
813:
763:
635:
465:
442:
360:
177:
696:
673:
631:
504:
139:
53:
40:
825:
708:
In 2015, the group was established after splitting from the Men of Dignity Druze militia.
685:
677:
570:
514:
509:
410:
758:
582:
499:
385:
160:
1016:
989:""Sheikh al-Karama" forces increase level of preparedness to deal with regime forces"
669:
539:
282:
206:
197:
129:
676:. The group also stressed strict self-defense, and claimed to have support from the
711:
On 21 February 2019, the Sheikh al-Karama Forces attacked the Syrian government's
380:
346:
225:
565:
959:"Sheikh al-Karama forces warns and condemns "Russian aid" of Syria's Suwaidaa"
268:
868:"As war swirls around Suwayda, a complex picture emerges of Druze interests"
692:
627:
405:
287:
211:
117:
911:"Rijal al-Karama after Sheikh Abu Fahad Waheed al-Bal'ous' Assassination"
797:
691:
Wahid al-Balaous was killed by a car bomb in 2015. After his death, many
735:
occupation forces, and also claimed that they were stealing from Syria.
720:
248:
966:
936:
728:
243:
643:
622:
618:
544:
220:
168:
105:
650:
have been arrested and tortured under terrorism charges.
850:"Sheikh al-Karama Forces Commander Killed in Suwayda"
887:"The New Druze Militia Factions of Suwayda Province"
1023:
Military units and factions of the Syrian civil war
135:
93:
81:
73:
63:
35:
18:
452:1860 civil conflict in Mount Lebanon and Damascus
672:and refer to the Syrian army respectably as the
590:
8:
659:commander who was later killed in May 2019.
597:
583:
153:
15:
420:1585 Ottoman expedition against the Druze
831:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
844:
842:
780:
156:
904:
902:
900:
821:
811:
7:
994:Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
935:. February 21, 2019. Archived from
14:
965:. 4 December 2019. Archived from
754:Sultan Pasha al-Atrash Battalion
613:was an armed group based in the
564:
429:Druze Power Struggle (1658–1667)
176:
122:
110:
98:
24:
1:
1038:2014 establishments in Syria
788:Editor 4 (28 January 2019).
1059:
769:Syrian National Resistance
909:Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad.
885:Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad.
678:Druze community in Israel
23:
733:Russian forces in Syria
611:Sheikh al-Karama Forces
406:Tanukh (Buhtur) dynasty
19:Sheikh al-Karama Forces
915:Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
891:Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
615:As-Suwayda Governorate
550:Christianity and Druze
461:Hauran Druze Rebellion
297:Baha al-Din al-Muqtana
39:Wahid al-Balaous
30:Flag used by the group
1043:Druze militant groups
1028:Rebel groups in Syria
713:military intelligence
274:Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah
939:on February 23, 2019
749:Jaysh al-Muwahhideen
617:in southern eastern
535:Persecution of Druze
648:Suwayda governorate
571:Religion portal
475:Jaysh al-Muwahhidin
235:Seven Druze pillars
824:has generic name (
480:Qalb Loze massacre
438:Battle of Ain Dara
322:Epistles of Wisdom
145:2020 Daraa Clashes
65:Dates of operation
764:Al-Sanadid Forces
646:community in the
638:. Members of the
636:Syrian Opposition
607:
606:
545:Religious symbols
493:Druze communities
466:Jabal Druze State
443:1838 Druze Revolt
352:Shrine of Shu'ayb
262:Important figures
152:
151:
1050:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1002:
985:
979:
978:
976:
974:
955:
949:
948:
946:
944:
925:
919:
918:
906:
895:
894:
882:
876:
875:
874:. 16 March 2015.
864:
858:
857:
846:
837:
836:
829:
823:
819:
817:
809:
807:
805:
796:. Archived from
785:
697:Syrian Civil War
680:which it called
674:Syrian Arab Army
632:Free Syrian Army
599:
592:
585:
569:
568:
326:Rasa'il al-Hikma
180:
171:
165:
164:
154:
140:Syrian Civil War
136:Battles and wars
128:
126:
125:
116:
114:
113:
104:
102:
101:
66:
58:
52:Wissam Eid
50:Layth al-Balaous
45:
28:
16:
1058:
1057:
1053:
1052:
1051:
1049:
1048:
1047:
1013:
1012:
1011:
1010:
1000:
998:
997:. 23 March 2020
987:
986:
982:
972:
970:
957:
956:
952:
942:
940:
927:
926:
922:
908:
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861:
848:
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840:
830:
820:
810:
803:
801:
787:
786:
782:
777:
745:
706:
686:Syrian military
665:
656:
640:Druze community
603:
563:
556:
555:
554:
529:
521:
520:
519:
515:Jordanian Druze
494:
486:
485:
484:
470:
456:
447:
433:
424:
415:
400:
392:
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390:
375:
367:
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341:
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158:
157:
123:
121:
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111:
109:
108:
99:
97:
64:
54:
51:
49:
48:Fahd al-Balaous
47:
41:
31:
12:
11:
5:
1056:
1054:
1046:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1033:Druze in Syria
1030:
1025:
1015:
1014:
1009:
1008:
980:
969:on 21 May 2020
950:
920:
896:
877:
859:
856:. May 3, 2019.
838:
800:on 21 May 2020
779:
778:
776:
773:
772:
771:
766:
761:
759:Golan Regiment
756:
751:
744:
741:
705:
702:
664:
663:Men of Dignity
661:
655:
652:
621:, composed of
605:
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579:
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528:Related topics
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518:
517:
512:
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505:Lebanese Druze
502:
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77:Men of Dignity
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37:
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990:
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938:
934:
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921:
916:
912:
905:
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851:
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827:
815:
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736:
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724:
722:
717:
714:
709:
703:
701:
698:
694:
693:false reports
689:
687:
683:
679:
675:
671:
670:flag of Syria
662:
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653:
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649:
645:
641:
637:
633:
629:
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612:
600:
595:
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581:
580:
578:
577:
572:
567:
562:
561:
560:
559:
551:
548:
546:
543:
541:
540:List of Druze
538:
536:
533:
532:
525:
524:
516:
513:
511:
510:Israeli Druze
508:
506:
503:
501:
498:
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489:
481:
478:
476:
473:
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467:
464:
462:
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327:
323:
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300:
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289:
286:
284:
283:Hamza ibn Ali
281:
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245:
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241:
236:
233:
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227:
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218:
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210:
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207:Reincarnation
205:
204:
199:
198:Ahl at-Tawhid
195:
194:Al-Muwahhidun
192:
191:
184:
183:
179:
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155:
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130:Islamic State
119:
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84:
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72:
68:
62:
59:
57:
46:
44:
38:
34:
27:
22:
17:
999:. Retrieved
992:
983:
971:. Retrieved
967:the original
962:
953:
941:. Retrieved
937:the original
932:
923:
914:
890:
880:
872:Syria Direct
871:
862:
853:
802:. Retrieved
798:the original
793:
783:
737:
725:
718:
710:
707:
690:
666:
657:
610:
608:
500:Syrian Druze
411:Ma'n dynasty
325:
55:
42:
854:Enab Baladi
822:|last=
634:or general
381:Eid al-Adha
347:Mount Druze
340:Holy places
226:Divine Call
221:Esotericism
88:Regionalism
1017:Categories
963:Syria Call
933:Call Syria
794:Syria Call
775:References
654:Background
302:Al-Tanukhi
74:Split from
682:Palestine
628:Hezbollah
374:Holy days
288:Al-Darazi
212:Theophany
118:Hezbollah
94:Opponents
69:2014-2021
1001:12 April
973:12 April
943:April 2,
814:cite web
804:12 April
743:See also
161:a series
159:Part of
83:Ideology
721:Suwayda
704:History
399:History
361:Khalwat
269:Shu'ayb
249:Walayah
187:Beliefs
56:†
43:†
36:Leaders
729:Russia
386:Ziyara
244:Taqiya
127:
115:
103:
644:Druze
623:Druze
619:Syria
315:Texts
169:Druze
106:Syria
1003:2020
975:2020
945:2020
833:link
826:help
806:2020
609:The
163:on
1019::
991:.
961:.
931:.
913:.
899:^
889:.
870:.
852:.
841:^
818::
816:}}
812:{{
792:.
1005:.
977:.
947:.
917:.
893:.
835:)
828:)
808:.
598:e
591:t
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328:)
324:(
196:-
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
