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Men of Dignity

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Syrian Druze militia

<tbody> </tbody>
Men of Dignity[1]
Sheikhs of Dignity[2]
Rijal al-Karama
FounderWahid al-Balous
Leaders
Wahid al-Balous (2013/2014–2015) †[3]
Ra'fat al-Balous[4] (approx. November 2015[5]–February 2017)
Yahya al-Hajjar (February 2017–August 2025)[6]
Mazid Khaddaj (Abu Diab) (24 August 2025–present)[7]
SpokespersonBassem Abu Fakhr[8][9]
Dates active2013[10] or 2014[11] – present
CountrySyria
HeadquartersSuwayda
Active regionsSuwayda Governorate[12]
Quneitra Governorate[13]
Part ofSouthern Operations Room (2024–2025)[14]
Decisive Battle Operations Room (2024)[15]
Wars

The Men of Dignity (Arabic: رجال الكرامة, romanized: Rijāl al-Karāma) is a Druze militia operating primarily in the Suwayda Governorate of southern Syria, which was described in 2020 as a third way faction, neither opposed nor aligned with the Assad regime. Nonetheless, it previously allied with the Assad regime in fighting against the Al-Nusra Front. Though the group initially cooperated with the Syrian caretaker government and the Syrian transitional government after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the militia took up arms against it following the July 2025 Southern Syria clashes.

In August 2025, amid a change of leadership, the group announced it was joining the Druze-led National Guard despite having previously opposed such a merger. Though it followed through with joining the National Guard in the subsequent months, tensions would soon resurface between it and the Guard's leadership, and by August 2026 sources would differ on whether the Men of Dignity were still considered part of the National Guard or not.

Organization

The group has multiple subdivisions, including Bayraq al-Maqdad, Bayraq al-Sindyan and Bayraq al-Haq.[22]

Other groups involved include: "Bayraq al-Izz, Bayraq al-Fahad, ... Bayraq al-Sheikh, Bayraq al-Nidal, Bayraq al-Basha [Pasha], Bayraq al-Fakhr, Bayraq Sayf Al-Jabal, ... Bayraq al-Nabi Dawoud, Bayraq al-Khidr" and "Bayraq al-Harm."[23]

History

The Men of Dignity armed movement was founded in 2013 by Wahid al-Balous.[24] Its primary focus during the early years of the Syrian civil war was to avoid the conscription of Druze men into the Syrian Arab Army.[25][24] The group continued to assist draft evaders, as of 2020.[26] The militia has been described as a "third-way" faction, with researcher Thomas Pierret emphasizing that the group was "really about defending the province."[27]

Leadership

Group founder Wahid al-Balous was assassinated by a car bomb in Suwayda in September 2015. Two months after his assassination, his brother Ra'fat assumed leadership, though he would cede the position to Yahya al-Hajjar as a result of injuries which he sustained in the assassination.[5]

Mazid Khaddaj, a.k.a. Abu Diab, became the leader of the group in August 2025.[7] According to an activist interviewed by Syria Direct, Khaddaj was appointed by Druze religious leader Hikmat al-Hijri after al-Hijri ousted al-Hajjar in a "military coup".[28] Al-Hajjar had reportedly opposed the integration of the Men of Dignity into the al-Hijri-loyal National Guard paramilitary group.[29]

Splinter group

One of Wahid's sons, Laith al-Balous, was expelled from the Men of Dignity in 2015 after his father's death.[6] Laith's brother, Fahd al-Balous,[30] and Laith were in control of the Guest House of Dignity, which served as the "operations and administrative center" for the Men of Dignity and was formed in 2013, with Laith serving as the leader.[6] Laith's group would remain allied to the Syrian government of Ahmed al-Sharaa even after the main wing of the Men of Dignity aligned itself with the anti-Sharaa National Guard in August 2025.[31] As of early 2026, Laith's Guest House of Dignity group would reportedly be based in the Al-Mazraa area of Suwayda governorate, on the Syrian government side of the ceasefire lines with anti-Damascus Druze forces,[29] and the Syrian government would refer to Laith as the leader of the Men of Dignity.[31]

Activities

Assad-era

The Battle of Dama in August 2014, which was fought in the village of Dama against the Al-Nusra Front, became known as the "al-Karama battle", meaning the "battle of Dignity", and those who fought in it were nicknamed the "Men of Dignity."[16] The faction battled alongside the Assad regime.[3]

Residents and members of the group protested in June 2015 against the removal of "tanks and artillery" that were being moved outside of the governorate, allowing three tanks to leave for repairs, while others vehicles were returned.[32]

The Men of Dignity allied with Al-Jabal Brigade and the armed wing of the Syrian Socialist National Party, Eagles of the Whirlwind, in July 2018 while fighting against the Islamic State.[17]

A member of the group died[33] following September 2020 clashes between the Eighth Brigade and Druze groups, including the Sheikh al-Karama Forces, Al-Fahd Forces, Kata'ib Humat al-Diyar, Ma'an Zahreddin group, Karem Ubaid group, and Usoud al-Jabal group, in addition to the National Defence Forces.[34]

Following multiple kidnappings by the Military Intelligence Directorate-affiliated Raji Falhout group, led by Raji Falhout, the Men of Dignity and several other Druze militias clashed with the Raji Falhout group in July 2022 and took over their headquarters.[35] The following month, the Men of Dignity continued their campaign against armed groups and confronted the Al-Fahd Forces in Qanawat.[36]

The Men of Dignity engaged in combat with the Assad-aligned military in the city of Suwayda during the 2024 Southern Syria offensive, resulting in at least two deaths and four wounded.[18]

Post-Assad era

The group issued a joint statement with the Al-Jabal Brigade in January 2025 emphasizing that it was prepared to integrate into a new "military body", following the December 2024 fall of the Assad regime.[37]

At least one member of the organization, Wajdi al-Hajj Ali, died in the April 2025 Rif Dimashq clashes.[20]

The office of Suwayda governor Mustafa al-Bakour was stormed on 21 May 2025 by armed criminals who successfully released Raghib Qarqout, a convicted car thief. The Men of Dignity provided cover for al-Bakour's exit, while the Al-Jabal Brigade engaged with the criminals.[38]

The group fought against the Syrian state in the July 2025 Southern Syria clashes and suffered at least 50 fatalities.[21] A week later, the militia announced that it had sustained 46 additional deaths.[39]

In late August, the Men of Dignity announced that it planned to join the National Guard, a new umbrella armed group formed under anti-Damascus Druze religious leader Hikmat al-Hijri, after what one activist called a "military coup" against the group's commander.[28] The Men of Dignity had been opposed to al-Hijri before the outbreak of violence in July,[40] and leader Yahya al-Hajjar had reportedly continued afterwards to oppose integration into the National Guard.[29] Just prior to the group's announcement that it would join the National Guard after all, al-Hajjar had been sidelined and replaced by al-Hijri ally Mazid Khaddaj (Abu Diab).[28]

The Men of Dignity's integration into the National Guard took place on 2 October 2025.[7][41] According to Men of Dignity spokesman Bassem Abu Fakhr, many of the groups' fighters were expected to form a new brigade under the National Guard.[42]

Tensions arose between Men of Dignity forces and core factions of the National Guard in February 2026, after alleged members of the latter briefly kidnapped former Men of Dignity leader Yahya al-Hajjar from his farm.[43] According to Al Modon, most Men of Dignity fighters remained loyal to al-Hajjar, and would likely have entered combat with against the National Guard if he hadn't been released.[44] The Men of Dignity organization subsequently played down the incident, saying the National Guard leadership had cooperated in getting al-Hajjar released, and denying reports of National Guard involvement in the kidnapping or a major mobilization of the Men of Dignity to rescue him.[29]

In late July 2026, Men of Dignity head Mazid Khaddaj sided with Suwayda public figure Sheikh Fadi Badriya against factions close to the National Guard leadership in a dispute over the seizure of a local family's property by the latter. This reportedly sparked a deployment of the Men of Dignity and subsequent tensions between the group and the National Guard over the following days.[45] According to Lebanese news outlet Al-Modon, relations between the Men of Dignity and the National Guard would continue to deteriorate in August amid a broader breakdown in the security order in Suwayda, leading to limited clashes between the two sides midway through the month.[46]

In early August, an Etana Syria report described the Men of Dignity as outside of and opposed to the National Guard's command structure,[47] while later in the month Kataeb said it was still "nominally" part of the National Guard, though its members were largely opposed to the actions of factions close to the Guard's leadership.[48]

References

  1. ^ Al Nofal, Walid (13 October 2022). "Is Damascus reaping the fruits of local factions' campaign against military security-linked 'gangs' in Suwayda?". Syria Direct. Translated by Mateo Nelson. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  2. ^ Jamal, Moutasem; Wilkofsky, Dan (25 June 2015). "'The regime doesn't dare to respond to the Sheikhs of Dignity aggressively'". Syria Direct. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  3. ^ a b McLoughlin, Paul (8 September 2015). "Druze leader's death brings home ghosts of Syria's war". The New Arab. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  4. ^ Al Shami, Ishtar (12 October 2022). "Insight into As-Suwayda's Position in the Syrian Situation". The Syrian Observer. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b "When Syrian intelligence sparked discord in Suwayda – part 2". North Press Agency. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Al Nofal, Walid (18 January 2023). "Disputes between Suwayda's Men of Dignity and Laith al-Balous: A son searching for his father's legacy?". Syria Direct. Translated by Mateo Nelson. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
  7. ^ a b c "In Suwayda, the Druze "National Guard" Incorporates Men of Dignity as Sheikh al-Hijri Calls for Separation from Syria". Enab Baladi. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  8. ^ "المتحدث باسم "رجال الكرامة": حديثي مجتزأ والحماية من إسرائيل طعن بالإرث الوطني". Syria TV (in Arabic). 10 April 2025. Archived from the original on 10 April 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  9. ^ Arraf, Jane (12 April 2015). "Druze militias are suspicious of Syria's new leaders — and are ready to go to battle". NPR. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  10. ^ "Druze Group 'Rijal al-Karama' Rejects Disarmament, Calls for Weapons Regulation in Sweida". Asharq Al-Awsat. 5 May 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025. Formed in 2013, Rijal al-Karama was established to protect the Druze community and prevent its youth from being conscripted into fighting for any side in Syria's protracted conflict, which erupted after mass protests against then President Bashar al-Assad.
  11. ^ Edwards, Madeline (2 January 2025). "Joy and Trepidation Among Syria's Druze". New Lines Magazine. Retrieved 25 May 2025. That is the man who, in 2014, founded the Men of Dignity movement, which would emerge as Sweida's main group taking up arms against the regime.
  12. ^ Chehayeb, Kareem; Sanadiki, Omar (10 March 2025). "Syria's Druze seek a place in a changing nation, navigating pressures from the government and Israel". Associated Press. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  13. ^ a b Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (14 October 2016). "Labawat al-Jabal: A Druze Female Militia in Suwayda' Province". Syria Comment. Retrieved 24 July 2025. According to a media director for Rijal al-Karama who spoke with me, this mobilization to defend Hadr included fighters from Rijal al-Karama though not going under this name on account of problems with the regime's intelligence apparatuses.
  14. ^ Levine, Avraham (19 December 2024). "Rebel factions in southern Syria – Southern Operations Room (SOR)". Alma Research and Education Center. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  15. ^ "الذاكرة السورية | المعارك | معركة إسقاط نظام الأسد". الذاكرة السورية (in Arabic). Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  16. ^ a b "When Syrian intelligence sparked discord in Suwayda". North Press Agency. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  17. ^ a b c Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (27 July 2018). "The Suwayda' Attacks: Interview". Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  18. ^ a b c "Syrian forces launch major offensive in Homs as opposition seizes more land". China Daily. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  19. ^ Özkizilcik, Ömer (1 April 2025). "Israel is making a miscalculation in southern Syria. Here is why". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 25 May 2025. However, his rhetoric quickly lost credibility when Rijal al-Karama and Rijal al-Sheikh al-Karama deployed forces from Suwayda to Jaramana.
  20. ^ a b Muhammad, Malin (30 April 2025). "Clashes continue in Damascus suburbs amid widening security tensions". North Press Agency.
  21. ^ a b ""رجال الكرامة" تعلن مقتل وإصابة أكثر من 50 من عناصرها في اشتباكات السويداء" ["Men of Dignity" announce over 50 of their members killed or injured in Suwayda clashes]. Syria TV (in Arabic). 16 July 2025. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  22. ^ "ISIS "Suicide" Attack Kills 38 in Suweida". Enab Baladi. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  23. ^ "Rijal al-Karama after Sheikh Abu Fahad Waheed al-Bal'ous' Assassination". Middle East Forum. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Druze figure backs Suwayda's future within unified Syria". Rudaw. 6 June 2026.
  25. ^ "As-Suwayda's Druze: Legacy of resilience and self-determination". Hawar News Agency. 19 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  26. ^ Mahmoud, Amer (9 January 2020). "Men evading military service in southern Syria's Suwayda feel 'trapped'". Syria Untold. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  27. ^ "Syria Insight: Suweida's autonomy threatened by new economic uncertainties". The New Arab. 21 June 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  28. ^ a b c Al Nofal, Walid (19 December 2025). "Suwayda stands at a crossroads, one year after Assad's fall". Translated by Mateo Nelson. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  29. ^ a b c d "قبل الإفراج عنه.. توتر أمني بالسويداء إثر اختطاف قيادي محلي". Enab Baladi (in Arabic). 20 February 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  30. ^ al-Jeratli, Khaled (14 December 2022). "As-Suwayda tension shows new face of Syrian regime; risks of armed clash". Enab Baladi. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  31. ^ a b "Druze figure backs Suwayda's future within unified Syria". Rudaw. 7 June 2026. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  32. ^ "Druze protest Syria army's "withdrawal"". NOW News. 8 June 2015. Archived from the original on 12 June 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  33. ^ Ali, Sami (29 September 2020). "Local groups' members succumb to injuries in Syria's Suwayda". North Press Agency. Suwayda. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  34. ^ Muhammad, Ihsan (29 September 2020). "Dozens killed and injured due to clashes in Suwayda, southern Syria". North Press Agency. Daraa. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  35. ^ Al Nofal, Walid (27 July 2022). "Damascus silent as military security-linked 'Falhout group' is uprooted in Suwayda". Syria Direct. Translated by Mateo Nelson. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  36. ^ "As-Suwayda: Local fighters eliminate second pro-regime faction". Enab Baladi. 12 August 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
  37. ^ "Two Druze rebel groups say they're ready to join new Syrian national army". The Times of Israel. Agence France-Presse. 6 January 2025. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  38. ^ "As-Suwayda: Armed group storms Governor's office". Enab Baladi. 22 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  39. ^ Khoja, Abdulsalam (22 July 2025). "Druze militia reports 46 fighters killed in Suwayda clashes". North Press Agency. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  40. ^ "Druze seek Sweida autonomy and turn toward Israel, adding new twist to Syria's tensions". Arab News Japan. 1 October 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  41. ^ "Druze Factions Unite Under 'National Guard' as Spiritual Leader Calls for Secession". Enab Baladi. The Syrian Observer. 26 August 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  42. ^ "SYRIA: Men of Dignity Movement joins National Guard, reshaping power balance in Suwayda". Syriac Press. 2 October 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  43. ^ Al Nofal, Walid (17 March 2026). "With rare movement in Suwayda-Damascus deadlock, can a solution emerge?". Syria Direct. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  44. ^ "الحركة ضد الحرس.. والأطرش ضد الهجري!!". Al Modon (in Arabic). 25 February 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  45. ^ "تصاعد مؤشرات التوتر بين "رجال الكرامة" و"الحرس الوطني" في السويداء". Al Jazeera Arabic (in Arabic). 4 August 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  46. ^ "خاص: تصعيد أمني متواصل بالسويداء.. اشتباكات وقتلى واعتقالات". Al Modon (in Arabic). 14 August 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  47. ^ "ANALYSIS: One year after the violence, Suwayda remains at a stalemate". Etana Syria. 3 August 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  48. ^ فياض, جاد .ح (23 August 2026). "ما هو المكتب الأمني في السويداء وما علاقة "حزب الله" وفلول الأسد؟". Kataeb.org. النهار. Retrieved 26 August 2026.

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