Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri recently received a call from Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Das Goldrich, as conveyed by the US Virtual Embassy in Syria through their account on the X platform.
The virtual U.S. Embassy in Syria affirmed its support for the protests in Suweida via its X platform account.
This interaction marks the inaugural official communication between U.S. authorities and Sheikh Hijri, following previous engagements between U.S. lawmakers and Sheikh Hijri that were not formally disclosed by the Washington administration.
US Representatives who communicated with Hijri
Sheikh Hijri received a call from Republican U.S. Representative French Hill, a key figure among U.S. lawmakers behind the proposed sanctions legislation aimed at countering Arab normalization with Syria and bolstering the Caesar Act. Representative Hill, also renowned as the architect of the U.S. Penal Code’s “Combating Captagon” initiative, emphasized the importance of establishing a strong and ongoing relationship with Sheikh Hijri. He underscored that Sheikh Hijri’s personal safety is a matter of utmost concern.
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Following Hill’s call, Democratic U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle, another prominent supporter of the sanctions bill targeting Arab normalization with Syria and expanding the Caesar Act, reached out to Sheikh Hijri. Representative Boyle, recognized as a driving force behind the U.S. sanctions legislation titled “Combating Captagon” related to Syria, conveyed his interest in maintaining a close connection with Sheikh Hijri.
Additionally, Republican Representative Joe Wilson, who is among the U.S. lawmakers advocating for sanctions to combat Arab normalization with Syria and extend the scope of the Caesar Act, also contacted Sheikh Hijri.
The United States strongly supports continuation of protests in Suweida:
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Ethan Goldrich stated, “It is imperative to sustain the Suweida movement against the Syrian government.” He emphasized that the United States considers it crucial for the Suweida movement to persist until the protesters’ demands are met. This statement was reported by the opposition channel Syria TV.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
