Damascus (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Tuesday, violence in a mostly Druze town near the Syrian capital resulted in over a dozen fatalities. The clashes were triggered by an alleged recording of a Druze man insulting the Prophet Mohammad, which incited anger among Sunni gunmen, according to rescuers and security sources.
The clashes signify the most recent instance of deadly sectarian violence in Syria, as minorities’ fears have grown since Islamist-led rebels deposed former leader Bashar al-Assad in December, establishing their own government and security forces.
Why are sectarian tensions escalating in Syria again?
Those fears intensified following the killing of hundreds of Alawites in March, seemingly in retaliation for an assault by Assad loyalists. According to security sources, the violence erupted overnight when gunmen from the nearby town of Maliha and other mainly Sunni regions targeted the predominantly Druze town of Jaramana, located southeast of Damascus.
Local rescue workers reported that the fighting involving small and medium arms fire resulted in 13 fatalities.
Among those killed were two members of Syria’s General Security Service, a newly formed security force mainly consisting of former rebels, as stated by Interior Ministry spokesperson Mustafa al-Abdo.
Abdo refuted claims that armed gunmen had assaulted the town, clarifying that it was groups of civilians, upset by the voice recording, who had organized a protest that came under attack from Druze groups.
The Interior Ministry announced it is looking into the source of the voice recording and urged the public to remain calm, asking citizens not to allow emotions to incite violence or harm public property. According to a Syrian security source, Druze elders convened with security forces to avoid further escalation.
How are Druze leaders responding to the violence?
Syria’s ongoing conflict, lasting almost 14 years, has divided the country into different zones of influence. In this context, the Druze, an Arab minority following a faith rooted in Islam, have taken up arms to protect their communities.
The newly Islamist-led administration in Damascus has demanded that all weapons come under their control. Yet, Druze fighters have pushed back, arguing that Damascus has not ensured their safety from aggressive militants. Community leaders held the government accountable for not preventing Tuesday’s attack, cautioning that it would face responsibility for any future consequences.
