Deaths and injuries due to tensions in Jaramana and other areas

Two people were killed and eight others seriously injured in the city of Jaramana in the Damascus countryside, following violent clashes that erupted late Monday night. The clashes stemmed from widespread tensions in some areas following the spread of an audio recording insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

Media and human rights sources reported that armed groups were positioned near the city's entrances, particularly at the Naseem checkpoint and around the State Security building, and opened heavy fire, exacerbating the security situation.

The sources indicated that the injured were transported with difficulty to Al-Radi Hospital in Jaramana due to the Damascus authorities' security checkpoints.

In a related development, the university campus in Homs had previously witnessed angry protests, with students demonstrating against the insult to the Prophet and demanding accountability for those responsible. Tensions later escalated into sectarian attacks targeting students from the city of Sweiyda, after their housing units were stormed and assaulted, resulting in the death of one student and the injury of others.

Public anger spread to other areas, such as Damascus and Hama, where protests erupted, while video clips emerged of armed factions threatening to respond to what they described as an "insult."

On the ground, reports indicated that armed groups blocked the Damascus-Sweiyda road and took up positions in the Matla area in the southern Damascus countryside, firing indiscriminately at passing vehicles. This prompted warnings to civilians not to use the road for their own safety.

Amid escalating tensions, Sheikh Youssef Jarbou', the Grand Mufti of the Druze community, issued an appeal to all Syrians, urging them to adhere to national unity and civil peace, warning against attempts to sow discord.

For its part, the Dignity Guesthouse issued a statement condemning the offensive audio recording, asserting its innocence, and emphasizing that what happened "does not represent the people of Sweiyda, known for their national history and morals."

The statement considered the incident "an individual act motivated by external parties seeking to incite strife," calling for the rejection of hate speech and the strengthening of national cohesion.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior of the Damascus government announced in a statement that it was "monitoring what was circulating on social media regarding the audio recording," stressing that "investigations are still ongoing to determine the identity of those involved, and that the recording has not yet been attributed to any individual."

It emphasized its "rejection of any attack on sanctities and called on citizens not to be drawn into sedition."

Sh-S

ANHA