US envoy says a Druze sheikh exploits perceived Israeli and US support to target fellow Druze

Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, told commentator Mario Nawfal on X that a specific Druze sheikh in southern Syria is exploiting the perception of Israeli backing and an alleged alignment with America to persecute other Druze. He refrained from naming the individual. Barrack also asserted that Druze armed groups in the Sweida-Daraa corridor fund their arms purchases with proceeds from the captagon drug trade, describing the area as a major manufacturing hub for the substance.

He dismissed suggestions that Washington supports the sheikh. The Bashan administration, associated with Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri, responded on Facebook by condemning Barrack’s statements and rejecting the claim that Jabal Bashan is a captagon production centre, emphasizing the community’s fight against smuggling networks. Barrack further commented on broader Syrian-Israeli dynamics, noting ongoing border talks and the cautious stance of the Syrian government.