A panoramic view of Suwayda city and the surrounding Jabal al-Arab landscape in southern Syria.In late 2024, Operation Aggression Deterrence, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and other major military groups, liberated most of the Syrian territories and ended the 50-year rule of the Ba’athists. Due to internal political reasons, such as the existence of local armed groups, opposition by local leaders (mainly Hikmat Al-Hijri), lack of trust between the local society and the new government in Damascus, and disagreements over weaponry and integration into the state’s institutions, Al-Suwayda governorate has remained out of the government’s control since December 8, 2024.
In the beginning, Al-Hijri’s stance was not separatist, but rather focused on a national unified dialogue. However, following the July 2025 clashes between Durzi armed groups, Bedouin tribes, and the entry of government forces into Al-Suwayda, tensions increased and the features of a separatist project began to appear.
The Bashani State
On October 12, 2025, Hikmat Al-Hijri announced the “Bashani State”, using a Hebrew name mentioned in the Torah meaning “the flat land,” instead of Jabal al-Arab, or “the mountain of the Arabs.” Al-Hijri addressed an appeal to the UN Secretary-General, the UNSC, and the Arab League, claiming that Al-Suwayda was under a complete siege by the new government, including restrictions on food, medicine, fuel, and free movement. He added that the locals were suffering from a humanitarian crisis because of the absence of basic needs, rights, and services.
The newly established “state’s territories” include the city of Al-Suwayda and some suburbs of the governorate. While the vast majority of the population are from the Durzi sect, a considerable portion are from local tribes. Later on, the so-called “National Guard”, which is funded by Israel, was established in the governorate as a security apparatus of the “Bashani State”, along with the “Bashan Governing Council”, with the purpose of regulating the affairs of Al-Suwayda.
De-Facto State Concept
At this point in the story we need to take a step back and define the de facto state concept. De facto states are entities that exercise effective and enduring control over a territory and provide governance, while lacking widespread international recognition of their claim to statehood. De facto states are distinguished from de jure states mainly by their lack of international recognition and legal status, limited formal relations, and exclusion from major international organizations.
In general, the emergence of de facto states can be caused by a number of reasons:
- The adoption of ethnic nationalism by parent states and the political exclusion of minorities, which pushes them to rise up.
- Intervention by foreign powers to achieve political and security interests, such as Russia’s support for de facto states against Georgia and Azerbaijan.
- The availability of sufficient resources, which can motivate these entities to emerge, as they can use their available resources to operate their affairs.
These factors help explain why de facto states emerge, but they do not by themselves determine whether an entity qualifies as a de facto state.
Even though the government did not adopt ethnic nationalism or a specific sectarian ideology, Al-Hijri claimed that the Durzis are facing political exclusion, in spite of the fact that the government appointed Amjad Badr (who is Durzi) as the Minister of Agriculture and Suleiman Abdul Baqi (also Durzi) as head of Al-Suwayda’s interior security,
To determine whether the Bashani State can be considered a de facto state, it is therefore necessary to examine its actual characteristics and governing capacity.
Does the Bashani State Meet the Defining Characteristics of a De-Facto State?
Having defined the concept of de facto states, comparing the “Bashani State” as a case study with the defining characteristics of a de facto state can reveal whether the “Bashani State” can be considered a de facto state or not.
De facto states are generally characterized by effective territorial control, the existence of functioning institutions, the provision of public goods and services, sources of income, and external support. However, the “Bashani State” lacks most of the aforementioned characteristics.
“Territorial control alone does not make a state; without functioning institutions, resources, and sustainable governance, the ‘Bashani State’ remains far from a consolidated de facto state.”
Muhannad Alhalool
Even though it has been able to establish control over territories, the absence of functioning institutions and the shortcomings of the “National Guard” and the “Bashan Governing Council,” mainly due to a lack of funds, hinder it from becoming a textbook de facto state.
In addition, the “Bashani State” experienced a severe bread crisis due to the complete depletion of flour and other needed supplies, as it has neither strategic resources, nor major irrigated agriculture, and relies mainly on rain-fed agriculture. It is also experiencing a public services crisis due to security tensions in Al-Suwayda.
Moreover, Israeli support to the “Bashani State”, in the form of a $100 salary, was cut, which led to the defection of members of the “National Guard”. Adding to that, there is no widespread international recognition supporting the so-called “Bashani State”.
The Survival Question
As previously discussed, the “Bashani State” does not meet the characteristics of a consolidated de facto state. Therefore, its chances of survival are unlikely. The reasons why it is unlikely to survive can be divided into internal and external reasons.
Internally, limited governance capacity, divisions within the entity, and economic resource limitations contribute to its possible failure and collapse. On the other hand, external factors, such as limited support from foreign powers and the lack of international recognition make its long-term survival more difficult.
“Reunifying Syria requires more than restoring territorial control; it requires addressing the grievances and divisions that allowed alternative centers of authority to emerge.”
Muhannad Alhalool
Conclusion
Despite the territories the Bashani State controls, the major internal and external challenges it faces make its survival extremely difficult. Nevertheless, the Syrian government cannot evade the issues that led to its formation and should seek to find ways to reunify all Syrian territories under its control. Undoubtedly, it is a step that must be taken if the goal is to improve the sovereignty of the country and defend its territorial integrity, regardless of the Bashani State’s weak chances of success.
