ALBAWABA-At least 16 members of the Syrian security forces were killed in armed attacks targeting checkpoints in the town of Ashrafieh Sahnaya, southwest of Damascus.
According to the Syrian Ministry of Interior and state news agency SANA, the assaults were carried out by “outlaw groups,” prompting the Syrian military to launch a wide-scale sweep in the area to apprehend the attackers.
In response to the unrest, authorities have closed the Damascus–Daraa and Damascus–As–Suwayda roads due to security concerns and the presence of armed groups.
In a parallel development, the Israeli government confirmed that its military carried out a drone strike in Ashrafieh Sahnaya.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the operation targeted a militant group allegedly preparing an attack on the local Druze population.
Israeli officials described the strike as a warning message to the Syrian regime, urging it to act swiftly to protect the Druze community. No casualties were reported in the Israeli strike, which reportedly hit a building housing armed individuals.
The violence in Sahnaya was reportedly triggered by the circulation of an audio recording in which an unidentified man, allegedly a Druze Clerk, insulted the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), sparking widespread outrage and confrontations in the Druze-majority town.
In an attempt to contain the situation, the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party, led by Taymour Jumblatt, initiated urgent contacts with regional actors, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan.
These efforts resulted in a ceasefire agreement, now reportedly in effect. A delegation of Druze sheikhs and local leaders is working to formalize the truce and prevent renewed violence.
