Clashes near Damascus continue as death toll rises to 18

• DAMASCUS — Clashes intensified in the southern suburbs of Damascus amid rising sectarian unrest, according to a major monitoring group in Syria.
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• Renewed clashes involving light and medium weapons, including RPGs, were reported in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
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• Gunfire and at least one explosion, believed to be caused by a mortar shell, were reported in Sahnaya and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, prompting the General Security Directorate to enforce night curfews in both towns.
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• SOHR reported that the death toll from the ongoing violence had risen to 18, including nine residents from the areas of Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, and nine members of pro-government forces.
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• At least 15 others were wounded, with several in critical condition. The casualty figures are expected to rise due to continued instability.

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• The clashes followed earlier unrest in Jaramana, reportedly triggered by the online circulation of an audio recording deemed offensive to Islam, allegedly made by a member of the Druze community.
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• The incident fueled sectarian tensions across several parts of Syria, including university cities like Aleppo and Homs, and now appears to be spreading further, Xinhua news agency reported.
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• In a related development, unidentified gunmen reportedly targeted al-Thaala military airport in the countryside of the Druze-dominated Suwayda province with medium weapons and mortar shells, although no casualties have been confirmed so far. Syrian Ministry of Defence units are stationed at the base.
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• Aerial surveillance by Israeli reconnaissance aircraft was also reported over Sahnaya on Tuesday evening, according to local media, though there were no reports of strikes.
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• In anticipation of further violence, Interior Ministry forces were deployed along the edges of Jaramana, and residents began fleeing the area. Several families left the town, and three buses carrying Druze university students returned to their home provinces amid fears of reprisals, according to SOHR.
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• The latest wave of unrest has heightened concern about the potential for broader sectarian conflict, as local authorities and community leaders work to prevent the situation from spiralling further out of control.
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• Earlier on Tuesday, Syrian authorities and local community leaders in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana reached an agreement in a bid to restore calm after recent deadly clashes.