Spiritual leader in Syria’s Suwayda says Druze face war of extermination
SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – Spiritual leader of the Druze community in Syria, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, declared on Tuesday that the community is “facing a war of extermination,” and said that a statement released earlier that morning had been “entirely imposed on us by Damascus under pressure from foreign powers.”
In a video address published on the Spiritual Leadership’s official Facebook page, al-Hijri stated, “Despite our acceptance of this humiliating statement—for the sake of protecting our people and our children—the other side broke their promises. Indiscriminate shelling of unarmed civilians has continued unabated.”
He noted that “repeated negotiations with Damascus have yielded no results, nor any genuine sincerity in dealings.”
In an emotional appeal to the broader Syrian population, al-Hijri said, “Syrians of all sects, today is the moment to either stand united in rejecting humiliation and degradation, or to resign ourselves—and our children—to decades of shame and subjugation.”
He concluded his remarks with a powerful call to action. “To the community of monotheism everywhere: we are facing a full-scale war of extermination. This moment demands a stand of honor—a stand that history will remember and that may never come again. We call upon all people of dignity, from all countries, young and old alike, to rise and confront this brutal campaign by all means available.”