DAMASCUS,— Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze (Muwahhidin) community, called on Saturday for an international investigation into last month’s deadly clashes in southern Syria that killed hundreds of people.
Al-Hijri, whose followers engaged in violent conflict with pro-government Islamist forces in Sweida province in July, praised U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel, and Gulf Arab states for their role in ending the violence.
“Thanks to those who stood by righteousness,” Al-Hijri said during a televised address.
The clashes began in July between Druze militias and pro-Syria government Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes in Sweida.
Syrian government Islamist militia forces entered the conflict, supposedly to restore order, but largely sided with the Bedouin tribes against the Druze.
Local sources suggest that most fighters labeled as Bedouin are actually pro-government militias disguised in civilian Bedouin clothing, maintaining their attacks on Druze communities.
Israel intervened to support the Druze, conducting multiple airstrikes on Syrian government convoys and even targeting the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters in central Damascus.
More than a thousand Druze, mostly civilians, were killed by government-backed Islamist militias. Following heavy Israeli airstrikes in Sweida and Damascus, the militias withdrew from the area.
The Druze community is a significant minority in Israel, where they are regarded as loyal citizens and often serve in the Israeli military.
Al-Hijri demanded an independent international investigation into the clashes, calling for the responsible parties to be referred to the International Criminal Court. He also urged the deployment of international observers to protect civilians in the area.
The Druze leader thanked Trump for backing minority groups and described Israel’s involvement as a “humanitarian intervention” that helped limit the scale of violence against the Druze.
According to Al-Hijri, civilians — including women, children, and the elderly — were killed during the attacks. He said homes were destroyed and essential services such as water, electricity, and food supplies were cut off, imposing a broad embargo. He described the violence as a “silent genocide plan violating national and humanitarian laws.”
Al-Hijri made these remarks a day after addressing a conference held remotely in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava), which gathered representatives from various ethnic and religious groups in Syria.
The conference called for a decentralized state structure and a new constitution ensuring religious, cultural, and ethnic diversity.
The event took place in Hasaka, a northeastern Syrian city controlled by the Kurdish-led, U.S.-supported Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The Syrian government condemned the conference, accusing some participants of having separatist aims. It also announced it would no longer participate in planned talks with the SDF in Paris, which were agreed upon in late July but have not been scheduled.
The Syrian state news agency SANA quoted an anonymous government official who stated that the conference breached an agreement made with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in March.
Additionally, Syria announced it would withdraw from planned talks in Paris aimed at discussing the integration of the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in Syrian Kurdistan into the national framework.
Islam sees these groups—the Druze and the Nusayris—as unbelievers (kafir) by consensus among Muslims. Their slaughtered animals are not permissible to eat, nor is marriage with their women allowed.
Islam says they do not accept paying the jizya (tax). Having apostasized from Islam, they are neither Muslims nor Jews or Christians. They do not recognize the obligations of the five daily prayers, fasting during Ramadan, or the pilgrimage to Mecca. Additionally, they reject the prohibitions established by Allah and His Messenger regarding forbidden items such as carrion, alcohol, and others.
According to the Quran and Hadith, such apostates should be strictly killed.
(With files from AP | Agencies)
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