Suwayda remains in stasis as US signals differences with Israel on Syria

On Friday, United States special envoy Tom Barrack gave an interview with a popular X personality and spoke about Syria and, in particular, Suwayda. The southern governorate, which is majority Druze , is one of the last places in the country where the Syrian government does not have full control. Barrack referred to “a particular Druze sheikh”, thought to be Hikmat al-Hijri , a leading political and religious figure in Suwayda. The National Guard, a Druze armed group linked to al-Hijri, has been accused of receiving support from Israel with separatist ambitions.