Jaramana: At least one person was killed and nine others wounded on Saturday in clashes between security forces aligned with Syria’s new rulers and armed local fighters from the Druze community, according to a human rights monitor.
The violence erupted in Jaramana, a densely populated suburb of Damascus home to a significant Druze and Christian population. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the fighting involved security forces loyal to the new government and local armed groups responsible for protecting the area. It remains unclear whether the fatality was a civilian or a local combatant.
Tensions escalated a day earlier when a confrontation at a security checkpoint resulted in the death of a security officer and left another wounded. According to Syria’s state-run news agency, SANA, Colonel Hossam al-Tahhan, a local security official, stated that Ministry of Defence personnel were stopped at the checkpoint while trying to visit relatives. After surrendering their weapons, they were allegedly attacked, and their vehicle came under fire.
Tahhan warned that such incidents posed a threat to Syria’s stability and unity. In response, Druze leaders in Jaramana issued a statement pledging to withdraw protection from any individuals responsible for the violence and to ensure they face justice.
The security situation remains one of the key challenges for interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who assumed power after Islamist-led rebels ousted longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December. His faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), spearheaded the offensive against Assad’s forces. Despite its roots in Syria’s former al-Qaeda affiliate, HTS has sought to present itself as a more moderate force and has promised to safeguard religious and ethnic minorities.
The Druze, who constitute about three percent of Syria’s population and also have communities in Lebanon, Israel, and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, largely remained neutral during the country’s 13-year civil war. However, recent events have raised concerns about their security.
In response to the clashes, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Syria’s new leadership, stating that any harm to the Druze would lead to repercussions. The Israeli military has been instructed to prepare defensive measures to protect Druze communities near Damascus, reinforcing a previous warning from Israeli officials that Syrian forces should not advance into the southern Damascus region.
Recent Israeli military activity has included the establishment of positions in a buffer zone near the Syrian border and on the strategic heights of Mount Hermon. While no significant confrontations have occurred between Israeli and Syrian forces, Israel has made it clear that any aggression toward the Druze could provoke military intervention.
“We will not allow Syria’s radical Islamist regime to endanger the Druze community. If they are targeted, there will be consequences,” the Israeli Defence Ministry statement read.
