Conflicted Revisited... The Untold Story of the Druze From Suwayda

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Jul 23, 2025

Nour Salam, a human rights and women's rights activist from Suwayda, Syria, shares her insights on the complexities facing the Druze community amid ongoing violence. She discusses her family’s struggles under the Assad regime and her involvement in the revolution, revealing the evolving identity of the Druze amidst conflict. Nour sheds light on the response to ISIS attacks and the emergence of local factions, as well as the intricate relationship between the Druze and Israel. She envisions a future of governance and unity for Syria, despite the prevailing challenges.

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ANECDOTE

Nour's Unique Druze Identity

Nour Salam identifies as non-religious despite her Druze birth heritage. - She emphasizes her Syrian nationality above sectarian identity.

INSIGHT

Druze Identity in Syria

Sueda's Druze community has a strong Syrian nationalist identity. - They see themselves primarily as Syrians, despite their minority status.

ANECDOTE

Family's Subtle Repression Story

Nour's parents, university lecturers, suffered subtle repression from the Assad regime. - Her mother was questioned for education reform proposals; her father faced job loss for upholding fairness.

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Over the past few weeks, Southern Syria has been engulfed in violence, between the Al-Sharaa regime, local Druze militias, and even Israel joining the fray. In season 5, we spoke to Nour Salam, a member of the Druze community from Suwayda, who explained the complex dynamics of the region. So this week, we're returning to that episode, to help you make sense of the events going on there today...

Nour Salam is a Druze and a human rights and women’s rights activist whose family are originally from Suwayda, where she has been living since fleeing there in 2013. Through the war she worked as a field coordinator for Syrian civil society groups, and she is also a member of the Syrian Women’s Political Movement and many Suwayda-based initiatives supporting women’s rights.

In this episode, Nour shares her unique perspective as a Druze woman from Suwayda, discussing her identity, the history of the Druze community, and the impact of the Syrian civil war on her life and activism. She reflects on her family's experiences under the Assad regime, and her involvement in the revolution, highlighting the complexities of Druze identity and their relationship with other communities in Syria. Thomas and Nour later explore the arrival of ISIS in Suwayda, and the subsequent rise of factional conflicts from local militias formed to protect against ISIS, who are still controversially playing their part in the ongoing instability of the region, alongside Israel, today.

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