US Envoy Barrack: Washington Favors Damascus Over Druze Sheikh in Syria

US special envoy Tom Barrack has signaled that Washington favors Syrian government control over the southern governorate of Suwayda.

Barrack spoke with Mario Nawfal, an Australian social media personality, on Friday. He referenced a specific Druze sheikh, widely identified as Hikmat al-Hijri, a political and religious leader in Suwayda. The National Guard, a Druze armed group associated with al-Hijri, has faced accusations of receiving Israeli support with separatist goals. Barrack’s remarks are viewed as a clear message to Israel, which has attacked Syrian military sites and sought influence among the Druze community.

President Donald Trump has cultivated a strong relationship with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. The White House views stability in Syria as essential for the country’s recovery after 13 years of war. Navvar Saban, a security researcher at the Arab Center for Contemporary Syrian Studies, stated that Barrack’s message was unambiguous. Saban noted that Israel’s backing of al-Hijri does not equate to American support. Washington has prioritized an agreement with Damascus while Israel maintains its own security demands.

The US and Israel hold divergent views on the new Syrian government that emerged after Bashar al-Assad fell in December 2024. Israel invaded Syria in the days following the collapse, seizing land in the Quneitra governorate and other strategic areas. Israeli forces have also bombed the Syrian Ministry of Defence and arrested Syrians in the south. Barrack, who serves as US ambassador to Turkiye and special envoy to Syria and Iraq, is known for a direct diplomatic style. He previously called some media members in Lebanon "animalistic" last year.

Tensions in Suwayda escalated after deadly sectarian fighting between Bedouin tribes and Druze residents in July 2025. Government-linked forces reportedly joined the Bedouins, resulting in heavy Druze casualties. Israel intervened by attacking Syrian government forces entering the province. Since then, Israel has attempted to build rapport with locals, including al-Hijri, who opposes the new Damascus leadership. Nanar Hawach, a Syrian analyst who visited Suwayda in September, said Barrack’s remarks exposed differences with Israel. Hawach argued that Washington is building a partner in Damascus while Israel prefers a weak Syrian government in the south.

An independent international commission was supposed to investigate the July 2025 events under a trilateral agreement signed in Amman in September 2025. The situation remains in a deadlock, with deep distrust between Suwayda residents and the government. Hawach noted that distrust has hardened because Damascus has pressured local leadership, affecting residents' salaries, exams, and travel. Saban emphasized that a durable settlement requires credible accountability for the 2025 violence. He stated that the Druze need guarantees for movement, education, and security to rebuild trust.

The governorate remains a zone of stasis where the Syrian government lacks full control. Al-Hijri’s authority fluctuates based on the community's sense of threat. Hawach observed that pressure from Damascus often strengthens the leadership it aims to weaken. Residents, clerics, and local figures are seeking a path between central rule and separation, but security concerns dominate the discourse.