Death toll rises to 39 in sectarian clashes near Damascus as ceasefire falters

Damascus/Jerusalem, May 1 (IANS) The death toll from ongoing sectarian clashes in the southern suburbs of Damascus climbed to 39, including 16 security personnel, after ceasefire efforts collapsed and intense fighting resumed in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, officials and monitoring groups said.

According to the Syrian interior authorities on Wednesday, armed groups launched coordinated attacks overnight on security checkpoints and patrols in agricultural zones surrounding the town, targeting both civilian and security vehicles.

Eleven officers from the General Security Directorate were killed in the initial assault, and another five fell during a renewed attack on Wednesday morning, bringing the total number of fallen security personnel to 16, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Ministry confirmed that ceasefire attempts involving local elders and government representatives were violated when the armed groups reneged on their commitments and resumed attacks.

“Any assault on public security forces is an assault on national stability,” the Interior authorities said, vowing a firm response.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 22 people have been killed in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya alone, including six local Druze fighters and 16 members of pro-government and security forces.

The confrontations have involved light and medium weapons, and the situation on the ground remains volatile.

The Observatory noted low-flying Israeli reconnaissance aircraft were spotted over Sahnaya during the clashes, though no strikes were reported.

The recent violence stems from the leak of an audio recording attributed to a member of the Druze community containing comments deemed offensive to Islam.

The recording triggered widespread outrage and incitement on social media, setting off deadly clashes earlier this week in Jaramana, where 17 people were killed.

In total, at least 39 people have been killed in the latest wave of violence across Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, including both government forces and local armed factions.

Local officials are continuing efforts to prevent further escalation, but as of Wednesday noon, fighting was ongoing, and fears persist that the unrest may drag on if not contained quickly.

Meanwhile, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir ordered the army to prepare for possible strikes on Syrian government targets if violence against Druze communities continues, the military said.

The military said in a statement that the instruction followed a situational assessment.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli air force struck what, according to the military, were “operatives on the outskirts of Damascus who had attacked Druze civilians”.

The military said it was “monitoring developments in the region,” and its troops are “deployed and prepared for defence and developments in the area of Syria”.

–IANS

int/khz