Syria's Druze calls for autonomy and dignity

Shafaq News – Damascus

On Thursday, Hikmat Al-Hajri, a prominent Druze cleric, reaffirmed his community’s right to self-determination, highlighting it will not be abandoned, regardless of the sacrifices required.

In a video statement, al-Hajri praised Druze worldwide for their resilience, describing them as “one body” that confronts challenges collectively and can manage local affairs to maintain security, stability, and justice.

He also underscored the community’s aspiration for an independent entity that ensures dignified living under international law, pointing to numerous violations already documented by international organizations.

“The Syrian government continues to erase evidence through burning, demolition, and the use of internationally banned materials,” al-Hajri stressed.

Extending gratitude to the United States, Israel, the European Union, as well as Syria's Kurdish and Alawite communities, al-Hajri called for the opening of international crossings to lift the siege on Suwayda residents.

The remarks follow clashes that erupted on July 13 between armed Bedouin factions and local fighters, later drawing in Syrian government forces and allied tribes. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported more than 1,400 deaths — mostly from the Druze community — and the displacement of around 176,000 civilians.