US envoy says captagon cash buys weapons in Sweida

Tom Barrack, the US special envoy for Syria and ambassador to Turkey, made his case on X last Friday.

In an interview with commentator Mario Nawfal, Barrack accused a prominent Druze spiritual leader in Sweida of exploiting the perception of Israeli and American support. He said this figure uses that perceived backing to target other members of the Druze community. Barrack clarified that his criticism is aimed at the sheikh, not the state of Israel, though he did not name the individual directly in the interview.

The comments coincide with rising tensions surrounding Hikmat al-Hijri, a leader in Sweida who opposes Damascus authority. Al-Hijri has called for Israeli support and advocates for full independence from the Syrian government. Earlier this month, his supporters raised Israeli flags at a rally in Sweida marking the anniversary of the October 2023 attacks. Barrack rejected the idea that the sheikh has explicit Washington support, calling such claims absolutely wrong.

The envoy linked the local armed factions to the captagon trade. He described the area from Sweida to Daraa as a global hub for manufacturing and selling the illicit drug, comparing production to methamphetamine. Barrack stated 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. They denied that Jabal Bashan is a captagon production center, arguing the community has historically fought smuggling networks. They noted that the community has paid a high personal cost, including the sacrifice of young men, in the struggle against illicit drugs.

Al-Hijri declared in May 2026 that the move toward self-determination for Jabal Bashan is irreversible. He aims to establish an administration entirely distinct from the government in Damascus. Barrack noted that Druze communities in the Golan Heights and along the border have paid a significant price as allies alongside Israeli Defense Forces soldiers. 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.

Barrack observed that Syria has exercised restraint in response to Israeli incursions. He warned that aggressive retaliation could trigger a wider conflict, suggesting Damascus has been patient in allowing Israel to maintain a buffer zone. The two nations have held five rounds of border and boundary talks since beginning negotiations in Paris in May 2024. Barrack expressed confidence that they will reach a final understanding, citing President Ahmed al-Sharaa's stated desire to avoid confrontation despite Israel's wariness of Syria's new leadership.