ALBAWABA- Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the Israel-backed Druze spiritual leader in Suwayda, has publicly denied that his armed followers committed retaliatory acts against Bedouin tribes following the withdrawal of Syrian government forces from the governorate.
In a video statement coinciding with a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Al-Hijri emphasized the Druze community's commitment to coexistence and rejected collective blame.
“Despite the painful attacks our community has suffered, we continue to uphold the values of tolerance,” Al-Hijri stated. “Anyone committing acts of sabotage or provocation represents no one but himself. We reject sectarianism and any call for fragmentation.”
His remarks follow widespread reports and video footage circulating on social media that show members of Bedouin tribes fleeing Suwayda amid claims of targeted violence by armed Druze factions.
These events come after Syrian forces pulled out of the region as part of a local ceasefire agreement reached in Yestrday between Suwayda community leaders and state officials. The deal granted local forces authority over internal security in the province.
Following the withdrawal, Druze fighters aligned with Al-Hijri reportedly took control of key areas in Suwayda. They raised the Druze flag, bearing the Star of David, a symbol increasingly used by pro-Israel Druze militias, over the governorate building, declaring their rejection of any renewed Syrian military presence south of Damascus.
According to local sources, initial reports indicate that armed militias affiliated with Hikmat al-Hijri have carried out field executions resulting in the deaths of approximately 100 Bedouin tribespeople, including women and children.
“What the regime did was send troops to kill our Druze brothers,” Al-Hijri said in his speech. “So I instructed our forces to retaliate. The ceasefire came through force, not through negotiations.”
Israeli support for Al-Hijri's forces appears to have intensified in last few days. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have reportedly provided air cover for Druze militias, targeting Syrian military convoys and blocking reinforcements near and inside Suwayda.
Over the last 48 hours, IDF airstrikes have hit Syrian armored vehicles and convoys, while also targeting the gate of the Syrian military headquarters in Damascus in what sources describe as a “warning shot.”
Analysts describe the conflict as a key test for Ahmad Al-Shara’s leadership, as Syrian forces face mounting casualties and growing regional pressure. Military analysts suggest Israel may escalate its air campaign further, potentially targeting government institutions, military headquarters, and launching selective assassinations against key regime figures, while continuing to back proxy militias on the ground.
Reports of Bedouin families fleeing Suwayda toward Daraa have raised alarms over what some are calling an emerging ethnic cleansing campaign, as retaliatory violence intensifies.
Despite the denial from Al-Hijri, the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate, with the fragile ceasefire hanging by a thread, and Suwayda increasingly becoming the epicenter of a regional showdown between Syrian forces and Israeli-backed militias.
