Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of Syria's Druze community, has become a significant figure during recent violence in Sweida, resulting in over 500 deaths. His leadership has provoked mixed reactions; critics accuse him of being a power-hungry warlord, while supporters see him as a defender of the Druze people against the new government. The Druze spiritual leadership is inherited, with al-Hijri taking on the role following his brother's suspicious death. His rise exemplifies a broader trend of local leaders asserting influence as state control falters.
Hikmat al-Hijri, as the spiritual leader of Syria's Druze community, significantly influenced the recent violence in Sweida which resulted in over 500 deaths, posing a challenge to Syria's fragile stability post-dictatorship.
Critics label al-Hijri as an 'unhinged warlord' and a traitor, while his supporters view him as a defender of Druze dignity against the overbearing new government.
The Druze spiritual leadership is inherited and al-Hijri assumed his role after his brother's mysterious death in 2012, amid suspicions of the Assad regime's involvement.
The ascendance of leaders like al-Hijri illustrates a shift in Syria where local and sectarian figures, previously reduced by the Assad regime, have regained prominence as the state's authority weakens.
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