Barrack says Sweida militias buy arms with captagon profits

Tom Barrack, the US special envoy for Syria, accused a prominent Druze spiritual leader in southern Syria of using the perception of Israeli support to target fellow community members.

Barrack, who also serves as the US ambassador to Turkey, made the comments during an interview with Mario Nawfal published on X on Friday. He stated that his concern is not with the state of Israel but with a specific sheikh who he believes exploits alleged alignment with Washington and Tel Aviv to persecute others.

The envoy did not name the individual in the interview. However, the remarks align with growing tensions surrounding Hikmat al-Hijri. Al-Hijri is a spiritual leader in Sweida who opposes Damascus and has called for Israeli support and full independence from the Syrian government. Barrack rejected the idea that the sheikh has explicit US backing, calling such claims absolutely wrong.

Earlier this month, supporters of al-Hijri raised Israeli flags during a rally in Sweida. The gathering marked the anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attacks. Barrack linked this symbolic gesture to the complex dynamics within the region.

Barrack also pointed to the economic engine behind local armed factions. He said Druze groups in the province are financing their weapons through the captagon trade. He described the area from Sweida to Daraa as a global hub for manufacturing and selling the illicit drug, comparing the production to methamphetamine manufacturing. He argued that revenue from this trade allows the Druze to arm themselves effectively.

The Bashan administration, affiliated with al-Hijri, issued a statement expressing anger and condemnation. The group denied that Jabal Bashan is a center for captagon production. They argued that the community has historically fought smuggling networks and noted that young men have died in the struggle to eradicate illicit drugs.

Al-Hijri declared in May 2026 that the move toward self-determination is irreversible. He emphasized the goal of establishing a fully independent administration for Jabal Bashan, distinct from the government in Damascus. This push has intensified scrutiny on the region's internal politics.

Barrack noted that Druze communities in the Golan Heights and along the border have paid a high price as allies alongside Israeli Defense Forces. Israel has framed its military interventions in southern Syria as efforts to protect the Druze, including strikes against Syrian government forces in Sweida in July 2025.

The envoy observed that Syria has exercised restraint in response to Israeli incursions. He warned that aggressive retaliation could trigger a wider conflict. He said Damascus has been patient in allowing Israel to maintain a perceived buffer zone, even as some view local Druze actions as inappropriate.

Barrack expressed optimism that Israel and Syria will reach an understanding. He noted that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has said he does not desire confrontation with Israel. Barrack acknowledged that Israel remains wary of Sharaa due to his past with the al-Nusra Front and the presence of foreign fighters in border deployments. The two sides have held five rounds of border talks since May 2024, which began in Paris.