Clashes in Jaramana Between Security Forces and Druze Amid Rising Tensions
The violence began on Friday when an armed confrontation at a security checkpoint led to the killing of one security officer and the injury of another.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Clashes erupted on Saturday in Jaramana, a suburb near Damascus, between security forces of Syria’s new administration and local Druze gunmen, resulting in one fatality and nine injuries, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
Escalating Tensions and Clashes
The violence began on Friday when an armed confrontation at a security checkpoint led to the killing of one security officer and the injury of another. The situation escalated on Saturday into broader clashes between security forces and local armed groups.
The Syrian state news agency (SANA) quoted Damascus Countryside Security Director Lt. Col. Hossam Al-Tahan, stating that a security checkpoint had stopped members of the Ministry of Defense as they entered Jaramana to visit relatives. After surrendering their weapons, they were reportedly assaulted before their vehicle came under direct gunfire, leading to one fatality and another injury.
In response, local gunmen attacked a police station in Jaramana, forcing security forces to withdraw. Authorities have vowed to track down those involved and warned of the broader implications for "Syria’s security and stability."
To de-escalate the situation, local Druze elders in Jaramana issued a statement declaring they would no longer protect "lawbreakers and offenders," pledging to hand over those responsible for the violence to the relevant authorities.
Israel Threatens Military Action
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued a stern warning on Saturday, stating that Israel would not hesitate to intervene militarily if Druze communities in Syria were threatened.
"We have ordered the army to be on high alert and sent a clear and strong warning: if the new Syrian administration harms the Druze, we will take action," Katz said in a statement.
"We are committed to our Druze brothers in Israel, and we will do everything in our power to prevent harm to their brethren in Syria," he added.
These remarks come amid growing tensions, with protests in several Syrian cities, including Damascus and Suwayda, rejecting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s earlier declaration that Israel would not allow the new Syrian administration’s forces to deploy south of Damascus.
Relative Calm Returns to Jaramana After Mediation Efforts
According to SOHR, calm has been restored in Jaramana following mediation efforts by local leaders. Armed checkpoints operated by local fighters remain inside the city, while internal security forces are stationed at its outskirts to maintain stability.
The city’s popular committees have pledged to hand over the perpetrator and the victim’s body to judicial authorities to ensure accountability. However, residents of the nearby town of Maliha have rejected reconciliation efforts and threatened retaliation against Jaramana, raising concerns that tensions could flare up again at any moment.
