Zaman al-Wasl verified the authenticity of a statement issued by activists inside Sweida Governorate on August 1, 2025, accusing armed factions affiliated with Hikmat al-Hajri and his son Salman of attempting to separate the city from its Syrian surroundings and open channels of communication with the Israeli occupation, according to the statement.
Independent sources inside the governorate confirmed to Zaman al-Wasl that four well-known figures in Sweida city actively participated in drafting and signing the statement, and affirmed its authenticity and content, despite what they described as "direct threats" to which they are subjected.
The statement, signed by "Free People of the City of Sweida," stated that the city was and will remain an integral part of Syria, and that attempts to "separate" it from the Syrian people are unacceptable, regardless of the intimidation and repression practiced by the factions affiliated with al-Hajri.
The signatories accused these factions of attracting the occupying Israeli enemy and turning the city into a "pressure card" for it, emphasizing that the majority of Sweida residents categorically reject this.
The statement said that the factions are confiscating the people's voices by force of arms and terrorizing anyone who opposes them by persecuting dissenters and targeting their families, leaving residents in a state of "declared captivity," as they put it.
Activists revealed that they had launched a campaign to distribute 1,000 leaflets in various neighborhoods of the city, aiming to break the "monopoly of the voice" and declare their explicit rejection of the authority of the displaced. They emphasized that this step is just the beginning.
The statement concluded by calling for broad popular support from the people of Syria and demanding that the Syrian government assume its responsibility to "liberate the city from the authority of imposed weapons."
It is worth noting that Sweida Governorate has witnessed the growing influence of local armed groups for years, some of which follow religious authorities. These groups have been repeatedly accused of imposing a fait accompli and deviating from the demands of the civil and peaceful movement.
Zaman Al-Wasl
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