Sectarian Tensions Flare in Syria Amid Druze-Sunni Clashes

Clashes erupted in the Druze town of Jaramana near Damascus after a recording of a Druze man cursing the Prophet Mohammad angered Sunni gunmen. Thirteen people died in the fighting, escalating sectarian tensions in the region. Druze leaders called for calm, blaming the government for inadequate security.

Dozens were killed in Tuesday's clash when sectarian tensions erupted in a primarily Druze town near Syria's capital, triggered by a recording of a Druze man insulting the Prophet Mohammad, which inflamed nearby Sunni gunmen.

Security sources described the conflict as the latest deadly chapter in Syria's ongoing sectarian turbulence, intensified since Islamist-led opposition overthrew Bashar al-Assad's regime last December. Sectarian hostilities worsened, particularly after the March mass killings of Alawites.

Authorities are probing the recording's origins; the Interior Ministry urged restraint to avoid further inflammation. Druze leaders condemned the remarks, seeking to defuse tensions and demanding the government ensure security, while Israel offered potential intervention to protect its Druze population.

(With inputs from agencies.)