A deadly night in Jaramana underscores the fragile state of peace in post-war Syria.
Clashes in Damascus Suburb Leave Nine Dead Amid Sectarian Tensions
Clashes in Damascus Suburb Leave Nine Dead Amid Sectarian Tensions
Violence erupts following controversial audio clip in Druse-populated area
Deadly clashes fueled by sectarian tensions erupted on the outskirts of the Syrian capital, Damascus, killing at least nine individuals, according to Syrian officials and a war monitoring organization on Tuesday.
The turmoil broke out overnight from Monday into Tuesday in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, home to a significant population from the Druse minority. The violence was sparked by an audio recording circulating on social media, allegedly from a Druse cleric, which contained insults against the Prophet Muhammad.
Both the cleric and Druse religious leaders in Jaramana have categorically denied the claims. The Syrian Interior Ministry subsequently stated that initial investigations indicated the cleric was not responsible for the inflammatory audio and called for restraint within the community.
As public outrage over the clip intensified, armed groups in armored vehicles gathered near Jaramana and initiated shelling attacks on the city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitoring group. Heavy gunfire erupted throughout the area, resulting in 17 additional injuries alongside the fatalities.
The controversial audio clip triggered protests across various cities, with some demonstrators calling for violence against Druse individuals. While the Observatory did not identify the perpetrators of the assault on Jaramana, local Druse religious leaders expressed their anger in a statement, holding the government "fully responsible for what transpired and for any further escalation in the situation.”
The turmoil broke out overnight from Monday into Tuesday in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, home to a significant population from the Druse minority. The violence was sparked by an audio recording circulating on social media, allegedly from a Druse cleric, which contained insults against the Prophet Muhammad.
Both the cleric and Druse religious leaders in Jaramana have categorically denied the claims. The Syrian Interior Ministry subsequently stated that initial investigations indicated the cleric was not responsible for the inflammatory audio and called for restraint within the community.
As public outrage over the clip intensified, armed groups in armored vehicles gathered near Jaramana and initiated shelling attacks on the city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitoring group. Heavy gunfire erupted throughout the area, resulting in 17 additional injuries alongside the fatalities.
The controversial audio clip triggered protests across various cities, with some demonstrators calling for violence against Druse individuals. While the Observatory did not identify the perpetrators of the assault on Jaramana, local Druse religious leaders expressed their anger in a statement, holding the government "fully responsible for what transpired and for any further escalation in the situation.”
