Dozens killed in fresh wave of sectarian violence

CSW is concerned by news of a fresh wave of sectarian violence in Syria, which broke out on 28 April after a voice clip circulated on social media purporting to be a Druze cleric insulting the prophet of Islam, and which continued until 30 April.

The clip sparked widespread anger among Syria’s Sunni population, although the Interior Ministry issued a statement saying that its initial investigation showed that that the cleric was not the person speaking in the clip.

CSW’s sources on the ground confirmed that dozens were killed over the past few days when armed groups affiliated with the government attacked the towns of Ashrafeih Sahnaya and Jaramana on the outskirts of Damascus. The majority of inhabitants in both towns belong to the Druze and Christian minorities.

Local Druze militias reportedly attempted to defend the towns, but were outnumbered by Sunni militiamen loyal to the government. On 30 April Israel, which has a significant Druze minority, conducted a series of airstrikes on the Sunni militias advancing towards Ashrafeih Sahnaya. On 2 May Israel also launched airstrikes on unidentified targets near Syria’s presidential palace.

Negotiations between government officials and Druze community leaders are currently underway to contain and de-escalate the situation.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘CSW condemns this new outbreak of sectarian violence, and we extend our sincerest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. We call on the Syrian authorities to act swiftly to de-escalate tensions and to crack down on sectarian incitement and hate speech, including by tracing and holding instigators and perpetrators accountable. The Syrian government should work collaboratively with civil society organisations to promote peace and mutual respect between every sector of the Syrian society. We also call on Israel to refrain from taking unilateral actions that could aggravate sectarian tension between the different communities in Syria.’

Note to Editors:

1. The Syrian Druze are believed to constitute around 3.2 percent of the population. Originating from the Near East, the Druze self-identify as ‘Unitarians’ or ‘the People of Monotheism,’ and are deemed by hard-line Islamists to be heretics.