Israeli military action targeted an "extreme organization" in Syria, asserting protective measures for the Druze community amidst escalating sectarian clashes.
In a shocking turn of events, Israel stepped in on April 30 to control the chaotic sectarian fights that left at least 18 lives shattered in Sahnaya, a locale near Damascus. These conflicts ignited the day after collisions in a neighboring majority Druze settlement that resulted in 17 casualties.
The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced that so-called rebel factions assaulted security checkpoints and outposts around Sahnaya on Wednesday morning, killing 11. Five additional members were killed in another attack, raising the death toll among security forces to 16, as stated by the ministry's announcement.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), two Druze fighters also perished in Sahnaya. The Israeli military declared that they had transported three Syrian Druze citizens to Israel for medical treatment.
Approximately 15 kilometers southwest of the capital, Sahnaya is home to forces tied to the government that oppose local Druze fighters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Israel Katz, announced on Wednesday that the Israeli military had conducted a warning strike and targeted an extremist group intent on attacking the Druze inhabitants of Sahnaya. The joint statement by Messrs. Netanyahu and Katz also emphasized that they delivered a firm message to the Syrian regime to safeguard the Druze community.
Houssam Al-Tahhane, the director of security for the Damascus suburbs, announced "the deployment of security forces to restore order" following these conflicts, as reported by the official news agency SANA. The Ministry of Interior warned that the authorities would "strike with an iron fist all those who seek to undermine the stability of Syria."
Syrian authorities have strongly expressed their "firm commitment to protect all components of the Syrian people, including members of the Druze community, who have always been and remain an integral part of the national fabric." These statements also "categorically rejects any foreign interference" in response to Israel's military intervention.
The tensions between the Druze and Syrian security forces were ignited by an audio recording attributed to a Druze citizen considered blasphemous towards the Prophet Muhammad. The French Press Agency couldn't independently confirm the recording's authenticity, and spiritual leaders of the Druze minority condemned any attacks on the Prophet.
The Druze are a lesser-known religious minority group of around 500,000 in Syria, with close relations to communities in Lebanon and Israel[5]. These tensions and clashes have escalated into significant casualties with reports indicating at least 22 fatalities[2].
- The Syrian Ministry of Interior, in response to the chaotic sectarian fights in Sahnaya, warned that they would "strike with an iron fist all those who seek to undermine the stability of Syria."
- Syrian authorities, addressing the tensions between the Druze and Syrian security forces, emphasized their "firm commitment to protect all components of the Syrian people, including members of the Druze community."
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Israel Katz, aimed to safeguard the Druze community in Sahnaya, stating that they delivered a firm message to the Syrian regime to do the same.
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 22 fatalities were caused by the conflicts between the Druze and Syrian security forces in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, making it a serious war-and-conflicts-related issue in the realm of general-news and politics.
