US Envoy Backs Damascus Control in Suwayda
Tom Barrack’s comments on X signal a clear American preference for central government authority over local Druze militias in southern Syria.
By Luka Evans ·
The United States has signaled a diplomatic divergence from Israel regarding the governance of Syria’s southern provinces. This position emerged from a conversation between US special envoy Tom Barrack and Australian X personality Mario Nawfal on Friday, October 23, 2026. Barrack, who also serves as the US ambassador to Turkiye, discussed the ongoing tension in Suwayda, a majority Druze governorate that remains outside the full control of the Syrian government.
In the exchange, Barrack referred to a specific Druze sheikh, widely identified as Hikmat al-Hijri. Al-Hijri leads the National Guard, a Druze armed group that analysts have accused of receiving Israeli support. The envoy’s remarks were interpreted as a statement that Washington favors direct control by President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government in Damascus over the region. This stance contrasts with the position of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has maintained a distinct security strategy in the area since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Navvar Saban, a security researcher at the Arab Center for Contemporary Syrian Studies, characterized Barrack’s message as unambiguous. “Israel backing [al-Hijri] does not equal American backing,” Saban said. “Washington has prioritised an agreement with Damascus while Israel retains its own security demands and relationship.” This alignment reflects the strong relationship built between US President Donald Trump and President al-Sharaa, who views stability as essential for reconstruction after thirteen years of conflict.
The diplomatic split occurs against a backdrop of recent military actions by Israel in Syria. Following the collapse of the Assad regime, Israeli forces seized land in Quneitra governorate and other strategic areas. Israel has also bombed the Ministry of Defence and detained Syrians in the south. Nanar Hawach, a Syrian analyst who visited Suwayda in September, noted that Washington is cultivating a partner in Damascus, whereas Israel appears to prefer a government too weak to assert authority in the south.
The conflict in Suwayda intensified in July 2025 when sectarian fighting between Bedouin tribes and Druze residents resulted in significant casualties. Government forces reportedly joined the Bedouin side, while Israel intervened to stop Syrian troops from entering the province. Since then, Israel has reportedly sought to build relationships with local leaders like al-Hijri, who opposes the new leadership in Damascus.
A trilateral agreement signed in Amman, Jordan, in September 2025 called for an independent international commission to investigate the events of July 2025. Despite the agreement, the situation remains in a stalemate. Residents of Suwayda express deep distrust of the central government, citing pressure on salaries, education, and access to the capital. Analysts argue that credible accountability for the 2025 violence is necessary to rebuild trust between the province and Damascus.
