Dozens, including civilians and General Security personnel, have been killed since Tuesday morning, primarily in Jaramana and Sahnaya, homes to a big Druze community in the outskirts of Damascus. This follows ongoing attacks and clashes between armed factions– believed to be hardline Islamists, and local groups in those areas. The violence has sparked fears of escalating tensions between different sects in these highly populated and diverse neighborhoods.
Civilians in Jaramana remain unable to leave their neighborhood due to threats of snipers surrounding the area according to local sources despite an agreement reached between government representatives and Jaramana dignitaries on Tuesday night. Residents of Sahnaya have also reported that ambulances are unable to enter the neighborhood under bombardment.
Jad Hamada, a resident of Jaramana said:
“It is the responsibility of the state [interim government] to protect all civilians and to prevent extremist factions from operating freely in the heart of the capital—or anywhere else in Syria.
Today, all of their actions are far too slow and timid in the face of the speed and brutality of these factions. The most important step the government must take now is to present a clear narrative of what happened—one that lays out the facts of the attack and its context. Without this, the incitement against the Druze community will only escalate.”
Rawia Harb, an activist from Suwayda, said:
“There’s a loss of confidence in the government’s ability to protect civilians, or serious suspicions about its direct or indirect involvement in fueling this conflict. In addition, there is a complete absence of transparent official statements clarifying what happened to the public. This has allowed unofficial media voices—often biased or unprofessional—to fill the void, distorting facts and describing events in a manner that is at odds with reality. This has directly contributed to increased tension and sectarian mobilization.”
“Since the beginning of these events, civil, religious, and societal figures in Suwayda and Jaramana have taken clear and explicit positions calling for the suppression of strife, the rejection of escalation, and adherence to a comprehensive national discourse. However, official bodies have not issued sufficiently firm positions to support this approach, leaving the arena open for extremist voices to rise and dominate the scene.”
Amid rising regional tensions, Israel launched two attacks on Sahnaya today, killing at least one member of the General Security according to the Interior Ministry.
Razan Rashidi, the executive director of The Syria Campaign said:
“The inability of the current government to control armed factions and to criminalize or halt sectarian hate speech is extremely alarming. Syria is at a pivotal moment, and millions today are striving to build a new, free, stable and democratic future. This government has a responsibility to protect civilians and support comprehensive national dialogue. Recent developments, including the attacks by Israel which are part of its ongoing expansion in southern Syria in recent months, only furthers sectarian tensions and risks deepening divisions and increased violence”.
ENDS
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