Druze leaders in Syria strongly denounced what they described as an “unjustified armed attack” in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, following a violent overnight confrontation with government forces that left at least four Druze fighters dead, according to a war monitor.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Druze religious leadership in Jaramana condemned the incident, saying it “targeted innocent civilians and terrorised” the local population. They further declared that Syrian authorities bear “full responsibility for the incident and for any further developments or worsening of the crisis.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that intense fighting erupted after security forces, accompanied by armed loyalists, stormed parts of the predominantly Druze and Christian suburb. The raid came in response to an audio recording allegedly circulating online, attributed to a Druze individual, that contained offensive religious remarks.
“Heavy clashes erupted in Jaramana after security forces and affiliated gunmen stormed” the area, the monitor said. It confirmed that “at least four Druze fighters were killed” in the exchange.
A local resident told AFP that gunfire and shelling rang out through the suburb for approximately 30 minutes during the night.
