Feature: Syrian residents decry sectarian incitement amid deadly clashes near Damascus

JARAMANA, Syria, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Residents of the Damascus suburb of Jaramana are expressing frustration and fear after days of deadly sectarian unrest rocked their multi-sectarian town, with community leaders urging an end to incitement and collective punishment.

"This was irrational sectarian mobilization," said Makram Ubaid, a local lawyer and member of the town's community committee.

"Jaramana was attacked from multiple directions. There were confrontations, there were martyrs. The matter was addressed by nightfall through coordination with government officials, and we were promised it would not happen again. But the truth is, the sectarian incitement is still ongoing, and we cannot accept this -- it gives us no sense of safety."

Violence erupted earlier this week in Jaramana and surrounding areas after the circulation of an audio recording, which was attributed to a member of the Druze community and contained remarks considered offensive to Islam.

The incident sparked deadly clashes between local Druze and pro-government forces, and prompted students and families to flee areas perceived as unsafe.

Osama al-Shoufi, a student at Qalamoun University, said he and fellow students had returned to Jaramana to reunite with their families amid the volatility. He said universities were no longer safe as there were also tensions between Druze students and others.

While a temporary truce was reportedly reached in Jaramana, tensions remain high, with fears of renewed violence. Community leaders of Jaramana, known for its religious and communal diversity, continue to call for restraint and reject all forms of sectarian incitement.

The unrest, initially centered in Jaramana, has since spread to neighboring areas southwest of Damascus, including Sahnaya and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, where clashes between local Druze fighters and pro-government forces have intensified.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, fighting erupted after armed groups attacked security checkpoints and patrols belonging to government forces in Ashrafieh Sahnaya. Heavy weapons and RPGs were reportedly used during the escalating violence, and authorities imposed curfews and deployed reinforcements to contain the unrest.

According to the observatory, the total number of people killed in the recent sectarian unrest across Jaramana, Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, and along the Damascus-Suwayda highway has climbed to 42.

The victims include Druze gunmen and civilians, members of the General Security Directorate, and pro-government militia. ■