SWEIDA, Syria — The road from Damascus to Sweida winds through outcrops of black volcanic rock, past rainfed vineyards and olive groves and up to the Mountain of the Druze — a natural fortress ...

The volcanic rock flanks the roads leading into this southern Syrian city where the Druze rainbow pennant waves alongside Venezuela’s tricolour—a tribute to the Druze diaspora there.

The Druze are a key religious minority in Syria. They comprise only 3% of the country's population, which is predominantly Sunni Muslim, but their fierce independence and militia control of their ...

SWEIDA, Syria — The road from Damascus to Sweida winds through outcrops of black volcanic rock, past rainfed vineyards and olive groves and up to the Mountain of the Druze — a natural fortress where ...

The new leadership vowed to disband all militias. But the fiercely independent Druze have made no agreement, and say they're gathering fighters... SWEIDA, Syria — The road from Damascus to ...