The spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze community, Sheikh Hikmat Suleiman al-Hijri, has issued a rare and urgent appeal to the international community, warning of the grave danger facing his people as several Druze-majority towns remain under siege and curfew. The letter, dated 1 May 2025 and signed in Jabal al-Arab, describes an escalating campaign of violence, killings, and terror targeting Druze civilians in southern Syria.
“Our innocent martyrs have fallen victim to these extremist jihadist massacres unleashed upon our homeland,” Sheikh al-Hijri wrote, referring to recent attacks allegedly carried out by the Syrian interim government forces backed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). “We have endured violence, humiliation, and degradation for five long months. Every day brings new pain and fresh tragedies.”
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The appeal follows reports of intensified military operations by HTS-aligned forces in and around Suwayda province, home to the country’s largest Druze population. Local activists say checkpoints have been erected, roads blocked, and supplies restricted to Druze towns including Suwayda city, Shahba, and Qanawat, as pressure mounts on the community to accept the authority of the interim government.
Human rights observers have raised alarm over the situation, reporting arbitrary arrests, home demolitions, and shelling of civilian areas in recent weeks. In his statement, Sheikh al-Hijri accused the besieging forces of attempting to “impose a dark, tyrannical project” on the Druze population, while warning that the community was being pushed to the brink.
“Despite our appeals, the blood of our martyrs has been spilled, and civilians have been left vulnerable to slaughter and displacement,” the letter reads. “We remain steadfast, determined to persevere, and prepared to defend our people with whatever means available, until we secure safety and dignity.”
The Druze leader called for an urgent international investigation into the attacks and demanded immediate humanitarian aid deliveries to the besieged communities. He urged the international community to take responsibility for protecting civilians and halting what he described as an ongoing campaign of collective punishment and terror.
The appeal comes amid a worsening humanitarian situation in Druze-majority areas, where residents face shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies under the blockade. Analysts warn that without swift intervention, the crisis risks spiralling into a wider conflict in the region.
Rights groups and Druze diaspora organisations abroad have echoed Sheikh al-Hijri’s call, urging the United Nations and international actors to press for an end to the siege and to hold those responsible for abuses accountable.
