Druze leaders in Syria called for restraint on Thursday over fears the assassination of a major figure in the sect’s southern heartland could turn an 11-month civil disobedience movement in the area into violence
Morhej Al Jaramani, who headed a militia in the mostly Druze governorate of Suweida, was assassinated on Tuesday at his home in Suweida city.
His armed loyalists guarded the demonstrations in the province against the rule of President Bashar Al Assad, helping establish a balance of power between unarmed Druze opposed to the President, and regular and paramilitary troops, comprising different sects, loyal to him.
The sustained protests in Suweida since last August have undermined the perception of unanimous support among Syria's minorities for Mr Al Assad, himself a member of the minority Alawite sect, since civil war broke out in 2011. This perceived support has underpinned Syria's system of rule since officers mostly from the Alawite sect took power in 1963 coup.
At Mr Al Jaramani's funeral on Thursday, Sheikh Hikmat Al Hajiri, the most senior of a triumvirate that forms the religious leadership of Syria’s Druze, said that the slain militia leader was a cornerstone of "preserving security" in Suweida and that his death was a "loss to freedom".
Sheikh Al Jajiri told mourners that whoever killed Mr Al Jaramani "must be punished", but their identity must be ascertained first.
Mr Al Jaramani was killed by one bullet in the head, fired through a window into his bedroom, according to the Suwayda24 network of citizen journalists. The funeral was in the village of Umm Al Zaytun, north of Suweida city.
Marwan Rizq, another Druze sheikh, who is not part of the triumvirate, said that the killing aimed to lure the Druze into mounting a violent retaliation against the regime.
"We will be triumphant, but with the olive branch," he said. "You [the regime] will not be able to drag us to your [armed] scene.
"When this doomed junta perishes, the homeland will be at peace."
The peaceful nature of the mass demonstrations, even though security forces have fired at the protesters, is seen as a major factor behind the continuation of the Suweida uprising. The non-violence is seen as having drawn previously apolitical Druze to the protest movement as economic conditions deteriorated in regime areas.
On Monday, security forces fired at a demonstration in central Suweida, wounding a man in his 70s. The crowd had gathered to protest against the election being held that day for the Syria's rubber stamp parliament. The poll was reportedly widely boycotted in Suweida.
In February, Druze gunmen attacked security installations after security forces shot dead a pro-democracy demonstrator, but the violence stopped quickly.
Suweida has been an anomaly throughout the Syrian civil war. Many residents armed themselves at the onset of the conflict, but stayed on the sidelines and mostly refused to serve in the military while also not actively attacking the state.
The Druze are a transnational minority, with a presence in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon. They are mainly concentrated in Suweida and in the southern Damascus suburb of Jaramana.
They numbered an estimated 700,000 in Syria before the 2011 revolt.
Suhail Thubian, a prominent civil figure in Suweida, told The National that the authorities had avoided using mass violence to crush the protest movement because Russia, the President's most powerful backer, appears opposed to such a move.
The assassination of Mr Al Jaramani, he said, was another attempt by the authorities to undermine the protest movement.
"The regime has been betting that we will give up and quit [protesting] on our own" he said. "It accused us of being separatists, it accused us of being agents of Israel, it fired at the demonstrations, and now this."
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20electric%20motors%20with%20102kW%20battery%20pack%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E570hp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20890Nm%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%20428km%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C700%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The years Ramadan fell in May
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
