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| At least three killed in clash between soldiers and Druze militants in Damascus | ||
| 2025-04-30 | ||
| [HODHODYEMENNEWS.NET] At least three people were killed and eight others maimed in Videos circulated on social media captured scenes of intense exchanges of fire using light and medium weapons, with heavy gunfire clearly audible. According to Syrian sources, large military reinforcements were deployed to Jaramana and engaged in confrontations with Druze button men on the city's outskirts, particularly near the al-Naseem checkpoint. SECTARIAN TENSIONS SPARK VIOLENCE The outbreak of violence followed heightened sectarian tensions triggered by the circulation of an audio recording attributed to a Druze religious figure, which allegedly contained derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammad (PTUI!). The situation escalated further following earlier student festivities in Homs between individuals from Sweida and other areas. In response, security forces arrested two students from Sweida, deepening the community's sense of grievance. Amid the mounting tensions, the Druze-affiliated Syrian Brigade Party declared a state of general mobilization among its members, urging readiness to protect civilian and residential areas in Sweida province. The party blamed the ''Ahmad al-Sharaa government'' for remaining silent in the face of threats and suspicious activities observed around Jaramana in recent hours. The spiritual authority of the Druze Moslem community in Jaramana issued a statement condemning the offensive remarks attributed to the audio clip, describing it as a fabricated attempt to incite strife and division. The statement rejected the armed attack targeting Jaramana, noting that most of the casualties were members of the General Security Directorate, all of whom were residents of the city. The Druze religious leadership stressed that ''protecting the lives, dignity, and property of citizens is the bare minimum duty of the state and its security apparatus.'' It also called on official authorities to publicly clarify the details of the incident.
“Fierce clashes with light and medium weapons erupted in Jaramana” between local Druze fighters and government-affiliated forces after “the circulation of a voice recording of a person from the Druze community stirring up sectarian strife,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor. Four Druze fighters were killed and six others were injured in the fighting, and a Syrian army soldier also sustained injuries, according to the monitor. The voice recording prompted mass anger in Syria, leading to protests, clashes, and elements of society in regions such as Hama calling for the extermination of the Druze community. Syria’s interior ministry said it is investigating the “audio recording circulating on social media containing grave insults to the Prophet Mohammed.” In a statement, the ministry thanked citizens for “defending” Prophet Mohammed but also emphasized “the importance of adhering to public order and refraining from engaging in any individual or collective actions that could disturb public security or infringe upon lives and property.” Located on the outskirts of Damascus, the majority Druze and Christian suburb of Jaramana was the site of deadly clashes in late February between local gunmen and security forces affiliated with the Syrian government following a fatal shooting at a checkpoint. Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led the rebel coalition that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s regime in early December. Its then leader and now Syria’s interim President, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has repeatedly pledged to protect the rights of all Syrians. In December, the rebel coalition, including the HTS, agreed to merge into the Syrian defense ministry. The international community has expressed concern that the new Islamist authorities in Damascus may impose strict Islamic rule in Syria, threatening the country’s minority groups, such as Kurds, Druze, Christians, and Alawites. Following the February clashes, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Damascus to “not harm the Druze,” and stressed that Syrian authorities would “suffer the consequences” if they harmed the community. Syria’s Druze, Christian, and Kurdish communities have expressed deep mistrust toward Damascus and rejected the interim constitution.
The clashes began overnight when gunmen from the nearby town of Maliha and other predominantly Sunni areas converged on the mostly Druze town of Jaramana, southeast of Damascus, security sources say. Among the dead are two members of Syria’s General Security Service, a new security force composed mostly of former rebels, according to the interior ministry spokesperson, Mustafa al- | ||
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 I just realized what is needed in Syria right now: Experienced, competent, respected leadership, with an unambiguous track record of bringing disparate groups together, peacefully. People like Samantha Power. And Susan Rice. Or Barack Obama. Or Antony Blinken Jake Sullivan. Or a delegation from U.N. or UNHRC, or AmnestyInternational, or from Macron's government, or from Starmer's widely admired government. So much untapped talent/competence/sarc. |
| Posted by: Karl Snow 2025-04-30 06:17 |