Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri’s journey: From obedience to opposition?

Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri’s journey: From obedience to opposition?

PARIS — Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri has taken center stage in Suwayda since Assad fell last year, as the top figure in the southern province or the primary representative of his religious minority. After rising to Druze religious leadership in 2012, it took years for al-Hijri to take a clear stance opposing the Assad regime. With the new authorities in Damascus, however, he is taking an adversarial stance from the start.  Al-Hi…

Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri highlights disagreement with Syrian Transitional Government, affirms readiness to defend Suwayda - Syriac Press

SUWAYDA, Syria — Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, an important spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze community, has stated in unambiguous terms that there is no alignment between the Druze leadership and the Syrian Transitional Government (STG). In an interview with National Public Radio (NPR), al-Hijri emphasized the readiness of Druze fighters in Suwayda to defend their region and counter government forces if necessary, underscoring rising tensions between…