The key facts

  • Mozna Alatrash has been appointed adviser on peace affairs to Syria's foreign minister
  • She comes from a well-known Druze family from As-Suwayda and previously criticized the current authorities
  • As-Suwayda province remains outside the central government's control, and Israel has repeatedly intervened in the situation militarily

A new appointment at Syria's Foreign Ministry

Syria's Foreign Minister Asad al-Shaibani has appointed Druze activist and media personality Mozna Alatrash as adviser on peace affairs. The state news agency Sana reported the appointment on Monday, citing her experience in civil society, humanitarian work and media. According to The National, the appointment of a member of the Druze minority appears to be an attempt to bring the community into the political process amid tensions with the central government.

Who is Mozna Alatrash

Alatrash was born in 1987 in As-Suwayda, the Druze heartland of Syria in the country's south. She is a relative of Sultan Pasha al-Atrash, the Druze leader who led an uprising against French rule in the 1920s. She is the daughter of actor and director Mamdouh Alatrash, known for his work in musical theatre; her sister Marwa and her cousin Lilia (a star of the series Bab al-Hara) are also well known on Arab television. Mozna herself worked as a journalist and television presenter, hosted talk shows on social issues, is a member of the UN Syrian Women's Advisory Board, and heads the organization Al Muzn Organisation for Development, Awareness and Giving.

Her past criticism of the authorities she now serves

Notably, Alatrash had previously criticized the government she has now joined. During the protests last December, she said it was 'painful to see the suppression of peaceful demonstrations' and suggested that the current authorities were no better than the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad — as reported by The National. This makes her appointment a gesture of reconciliation not only toward the community as a whole, but also toward its critical wing, although the Sana agency provided no official statements about the adviser's duties.

Context: As-Suwayda is outside Damascus's control

The significance of the appointment is underscored by the situation in Alatrash's home province. As-Suwayda, which is predominantly Druze, is one of the last territories of Syria outside the control of President Ahmad al-Sharaa, and Israeli military interventions last year played a key role in enabling local forces to retain control over the area. In October, The National reported that Syria sent troops to reinforce As-Suwayda amid Israeli military activity, which may have been aimed at establishing a base there. The province also became the scene of some of the heaviest clashes in the country since the fall of the Assad regime in 2024: fighting involving government forces, Druze armed groups and Bedouin fighters deepened the mistrust between the community and the country's leadership.