Since Israeli Occupation attacks prevented Syrian government forces from entering the Druze-majority Sweida province in southern Syria, calls for secession led by Hikmat al-Hijri have intensified.

Although talk of truce negotiations persists, the Israeli Occupation continues to act as an occupying power in southern Syria, carrying out near daily violations that include ground incursions, land clearing, the arrest of civilians, and the confiscation of property.

As the new Syrian state works to restore order in Sweida, a predominantly Druze province, “Israel” has revealed its intention to open a corridor to the area in southern Syria.

Scenes of killings and the displacement of Bedouin families from rural Sweida by militias loyal to Hikmat al-Hijri on July 17, 2025, prompted tens of thousands of tribal fighters from across Syria to mobilize toward the city.

Hikmat al-Hijri, the head of the Druze religious authority in Syria’s Sweida province, has begun openly expressing his intention to isolate the region and keep any emerging entity beyond the control of the central government.