Suwayda Emerges as Captagon Hub; Druze Self-Determination Debate Intensifies

Al Jazeera reported that Syria's southern Suwayda province had become a new hub for the multibillion-dollar Captagon drug trade, with sites associated with the 'National Guard' militia loyal to Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri operating drug production facilities. Jordanian fighter jets had previously struck Captagon factories and laboratories in the province. Separately, GeoCurrents analysis raised the question of whether a de facto Druze-governed entity was emerging in southern Syria, as the region maintained distance from Damascus's transitional government while facing security threats from armed groups. Hundreds of Druze had held protests in April calling for self-determination and accountability for violence during the July 2025 southern Syria clashes. The situation underscored the fragmented governance landscape outside major Syrian cities.