The Media Line: As-Suwayda Druze Leader Calls Push for Split From Damascus ‘Irreversible’  

As-Suwayda Druze Leader Calls Push for Split From Damascus ‘Irreversible’  

By Rizik Alabi/The Media Line  

[DAMASCUS] In a development that could deepen Syria’s internal divisions and reshape the political dynamics of the country’s south, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in As-Suwayda province, declared that the push for separation from the central government in Damascus is “irreversible,” signaling a move toward an autonomous administration in what he referred to as “Jabal Bashan.”  

Al-Hijri made the remarks during a televised speech marked by an unprecedented escalation in rhetoric against the Syrian authorities. He described the government in Damascus as a “terrorist government” and called for international accountability over what he described as “violations and crimes” committed against residents of southern Syria.  

The Druze leader said that the option of “self-determination” had become a fixed course no longer open to negotiation, adding that the Druze community in As-Suwayda seeks to establish an independent political and security administration outside Damascus’ authority.  

“There is no leadership or guardianship over this mountain except by those chosen by its people,” al-Hijri said, in what appeared to be a rejection of any external political or military control.  

His remarks reflect mounting tensions between local actors in southern Syria and the central government, particularly after years of economic collapse, deteriorating security conditions, and the weakening of state authority across parts of the country.  

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of al-Hijri’s speech was his direct expression of gratitude toward Israel—both its government and people —for what he described as support for “the Druze cause.” He also referred to “international allies and guarantors” working to consolidate Druze self-rule in the region.  

The statements are among the most politically sensitive public positions taken in Syria in recent years, given the decades-long official hostility between Syria and Israel and the possibility that such remarks could carry significant regional and political implications amid ongoing tensions across multiple fronts in the Middle East.  

The growing calls for autonomy in As-Suwayda represent a new test for Syria’s territorial unity, especially as the country continues to grapple with security fragility and political fragmentation more than a decade after the outbreak of the Syrian conflict. Analysts warn that any new self-rule initiatives could fuel further sectarian and regional fragmentation at a time when Syria still faces major challenges related to reconstruction and political stabilization.   

Supporters of self-administration in As-Suwayda, however, argue that the move is a response to what they see as the Syrian state’s failure to protect local communities and provide basic security and services.  

Al-Hijri’s remarks come at a particularly sensitive regional moment, with tensions between Israel and Iran continuing to escalate and local armed factions gaining influence in southern Syria, making any political or security shift in As-Suwayda a matter of growing regional and international interest.  

While the Syrian government has yet to issue an official response to the remarks, the speech reflects deeper shifts in the political mood across parts of southern Syria and could mark the beginning of a new phase in the struggle over governance and the future structure of the Syrian state.