DAMASCUS (Dispatches) – More than a dozen people were killed in a predominantly Druze town near the Syrian capital on Tuesday in clashes sparked by a purported recording of a Druze man disrespected Muslims, rescuers and security sources said.
The fighting marked the latest episode of deadly violence in Syria, where fears among minorities have been swelling since rebels ousted former leader Bashar al-Assad from power in December, installing their own government and security forces.
Those fears spiked after the killings of hundreds of Alawites in March in apparent revenge for an attack by Assad loyalists.
The clashes began overnight when gunmen from the nearby town of Maliha and other areas converged on the mostly Druze town of Jaramana, southeast of Damascus, security sources said.
The fighting, with small and medium arms fire, left 13 people dead, according to local rescue workers.
Among the dead were two members of Syria’s General Security Service, a new security force comprised mostly of former rebels, according to interior ministry spokesperson Mustafa al-Abdo.
Abdo denied that armed gunmen had attacked the town, saying instead that groups of civilians angered by the voice recording had staged a protest that came under fire from Druze groups.
The Interior Ministry said in a statement it was investigating the origin of the voice recording and called for calm, urging citizens not to let emotions lead to violence or damage to public property.
Druze elders met with security forces in a bid to prevent further escalation, a Syrian security source said.
“What was said by a few individuals represents only them and is rejected by us and all of society,” Druze religious leader Sheikh Yousef Jarbou said, calling on both communities to reject efforts to fuel divisions.