Over 100 Killed in Sectarian Violence in Syria
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - More than 100 people have died in two days of intense fighting between Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants and Druze fighters in Syria, marking a fresh wave of sectarian violence in the war-torn country.
At least 101 people were killed on Tuesday and Wednesday in clashes between HTS militants and members of the local Druze community in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Thursday.
The Britain-based war monitor said the violence left 10 civilians dead, along with 30 HTS fighters and 21 Druze gunmen.
An additional 40 Druze fighters were reported killed, including 35 who died in an ambush on Wednesday in the Druze-majority province of Sweida in southern Syria.
The fighting erupted after an audio recording surfaced on social media, purportedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The clip was attributed to Druze cleric Marwan Kiwan, who strongly denied any involvement.
“I categorically deny that the audio was made by me,” Kiwan said in a video message posted online. “I did not say that and whoever made it is an evil man who wants to incite strife between parts of the Syrian people.”
The HTS-led regime stated they were investigating the source of the recording and said their preliminary findings indicated Kiwan was not responsible.
Despite this, HTS militants reportedly used the audio as a justification to attack Druze communities, resulting in widespread casualties and destruction.
The violence marks one of the deadliest sectarian flare-ups since HTS, a group with al-Qaeda origins, took control following the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s government in early December.
Sectarian tensions remain high, particularly after a massacre of Alawites in March, fueling fears among Syria's minority communities under HTS dominance.
In parallel with internal unrest, Syria continues to face Israeli military pressure.
Since Assad’s fall, Israeli forces have occupied large parts of southern Syria and conducted hundreds of airstrikes, primarily targeting former Syrian army infrastructure.
On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tel Aviv intends to maintain its forces in southern Lebanon and Syria “indefinitely.”
Citing local sources, Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen TV reported on Thursday that Israel is building two new military outposts near Damascus, opposite Lebanon’s Hasbaya district.
The Israeli operations persist despite repeated overtures to the occupying regime by HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani.
Last week, US Congressman Cory Mills told Bloomberg that after meeting with Jolani in Damascus, he received a letter intended for President Donald Trump, in which Jolani expressed his desire to normalize relations with Israel.
