Syria Under Siege: Imperialist Designs and Sectarian Manipulations
In the wake of the collapse of the Syrian state’s central authority and the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in late 2024, Syria has descended deeper into bloodshed and chaos. The militant regime now entrenched in Damascus, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa—known to the world as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, a former commander of Al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch—has brought Syria to the edge of total collapse. His rise, orchestrated and supported by the United States, Turkey, and various Western capitals, has plunged the nation into a new phase of sectarian warfare.
Once again, massacres are taking place—this time in the southern city of Suwayda, home to Syria’s Druze minority. After the coastal massacres targeting Alawite communities, the Druze are now in the crosshairs of armed Islamist factions loyal to the new regime. At the same time, Israel has intensified its military aggression, taking advantage of Syria’s political vacuum to expand its territorial reach. Since December 8, 2024, the Israeli military has launched its largest aerial campaign in the region since the Yom Kippur War, bombing Damascus and other strategic locations.
These developments are not isolated or spontaneous. They are part of a calculated strategy by imperialist forces—particularly the US and Israel—to dismantle Syrian sovereignty and partition the country into sectarian enclaves. This approach mirrors the balkanization strategies deployed in Yugoslavia and Libya and reflects the long-standing Zionist goal of weakening neighboring Arab states.
The Manufactured Crisis in Suwayda
Suwayda, a predominantly Druze city in southern Syria, has recently become the epicenter of violent conflict. Following a short-lived ceasefire between local Druze militias and Bedouin groups aligned with the regime, clashes resumed. Under the guise of “protecting the Druze,” Israel intervened militarily, intensifying the region’s instability. The regime in Damascus, now under Julani’s leadership, accused Druze factions of breaching the truce and labeled them outlaws. However, this narrative masks the broader strategy of sectarian destabilization, orchestrated and enabled by external actors. The United States and its allies have long aimed to dismantle Syria’s cohesive national structure. By exploiting ethnic and religious divisions, they have sought to prevent the emergence of a strong, independent, and secular Arab state in the Levant.
In 2011, Western and Gulf powers armed and funded so-called “freedom fighters”—in reality, heavily Islamist and reactionary militias—to overthrow Assad’s secular government. This policy has not only devastated Syria but also empowered extremist groups whose ideologies are antithetical to democracy and pluralism.
Julani: From Terrorist Commander to Western Asset
The West’s promotion of Julani—despite his well-documented jihadist past—is a damning indictment of its cynical realpolitik. Once a wanted terrorist, Julani has been repackaged as a transitional leader in the name of stability. His installation in Damascus, endorsed by the EU, the US, and Turkey, has resulted in mass atrocities against minorities and the erosion of what remained of Syria’s secular state. His regime quickly unleashed brutal campaigns against the Alawite population along the coast and is now targeting the Druze in Suwayda. These events confirm long-standing warnings from Syrian communists and international anti-imperialist movements: the so-called “liberation” of Syria has brought not democracy, but a reign of terror sanctioned by imperialist powers.
Zionist Opportunism and Ethnic Engineering
Israel’s role in Syria’s dismemberment is both overt and strategic. With Assad deposed and the Syrian Army weakened, Israel has moved swiftly to assert control over southern territories, including the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon. Military bases have been established, signaling a clear intention to maintain permanent occupation.
Under the pretense of defending the Druze, Israel has carried out bombings and ground operations. However, this concern for Druze safety is politically selective and deeply hypocritical, particularly in light of its simultaneous assaults on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
The goal is clear: to destabilize Syria further, legitimize the illegal annexation of occupied territories, and cast Israel as a regional “protector.” In reality, this intervention only inflames communal divisions and undermines any prospect of Syrian national reconciliation.
Druze Loyalty and Resistance to Fragmentation
Contrary to Zionist propaganda, the Druze community in Syria has consistently demonstrated loyalty to the Syrian nation. Historically, the Druze played a central role in the anti-colonial struggle—most notably under Sultan al-Atrash, who led the 1925 revolt against French occupation. They have never sought separatism or foreign protection.
Even amid recent violence, Druze leaders in Suwayda have rejected calls for autonomy or foreign intervention. They insist on remaining part of a unified Syrian state. The temporary acceptance of Israeli military strikes was driven by the need for survival, not political allegiance.
The Druze in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights provide further evidence of this patriotism. Decades after the 1967 occupation, the majority of Golan Druze refuse Israeli citizenship and publicly affirm their Syrian identity.
Imperialism’s Sectarian Trap
The situation in Suwayda must be understood not as an isolated ethnic conflict, but as part of a broader imperialist strategy of fragmentation. The ultimate goal is to dismantle the last vestiges of Syrian sovereignty and turn the country into a patchwork of dependent, weakened territories.
Washington and Tel Aviv share this objective. While they may differ tactically—for instance, regarding Israel’s unilateral bombings—their endgame is aligned: the permanent subjugation of Syria to Western hegemony.
As in Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Libya, the West is once again allying with fundamentalist forces to destroy a sovereign state that resists imperialist dictates. The promotion of Julani is not an aberration—it is the logical continuation of a strategy that prioritizes control over principles.
Reaffirming Anti-Imperialist Solidarity
At this critical juncture, the international left must remain clear-eyed. The true divide in Syria is not between religious communities, but between those who defend national sovereignty and those who serve imperialist interests. It is the duty of communists, anti-imperialists, and internationalists to stand with the Syrian people against all forms of foreign intervention—whether military, economic, or ideological.
The blood spilled in Suwayda is not the result of ancient hatreds or intractable divisions. It is the outcome of calculated imperialist policy. Peace and stability in Syria will only be possible when foreign occupiers and their proxies are expelled, and the Syrian people regain the right to determine their own future—free from bombs, sanctions, and sectarian manipulation.