Video: Syrian tribes renounce coffee, mobilise fighters over Suwayda violence

Dubai: Dozens of Arab clans across Syria have declared mass mobilisation and renounced the drinking of Arabic coffee—a sacred cultural tradition—until government control is restored in the southern province of Suwayda.

The tribal boycott comes as leaders rally tens of thousands of fighters in support of Bedouin clans, who they say are facing killings and ethnic cleansing in Suwayda.

A video widely circulated on social media shows tribal elders pouring coffee onto the ground in symbolic protest.

“It is forbidden for us to drink coffee or sound the coffee mortar until Syria, and first Suwayda, is restored under the banner of the state,” a tribal elder is heard saying—invoking a rare tradition typically reserved for times of war or national crisis.

The gesture follows a joint statement by Arab tribes condemning what they describe as crimes by the Hijri militia, including mass killings, forced displacement, and attacks on women, children, and the elderly in Bedouin areas.

A tribal source said more than 50,000 fighters have been mobilised, with reinforcements expected from eastern Syria, Aleppo, and surrounding regions.

Forty-one tribes—representing over 70 percent of Syria’s population—are reportedly backing the campaign. Tribes in Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon have also pledged support.

The coalition warned the Syrian government not to obstruct their movement, stating that any interference would be seen as siding with those committing atrocities.

“We will hold accountable anyone who stands in the way of justice,” the statement read.

In Arab tribal culture, renouncing Arabic coffee is a powerful symbol of collective protest. Coffee is a cornerstone of hospitality and peace—its rejection signals a break from normal life and a call to urgent action.

This public act often accompanies a Nafir—a mass tribal mobilisation triggered by grave injustice, conflict, or blood feud.