Fake Audio Sparks Deadly Sectarian Clashes Near Damascus

Asharq Al-Awsat

30-04-2025

Twelve people were killed in clashes that erupted early Tuesday near the town of Jaramana, a Druze-majority area on the southern outskirts of Damascus, amid rising sectarian tensions, residents and local sources said.
In a statement, residents of Jaramana condemned what they described as prior 'sectarian incitement' that preceded the violence. They warned against 'falling into the trap of sedition, which serves only the enemies of Syria and its unity.'
The statement, which denounced the sectarian rhetoric, called on authorities to launch an 'immediate and transparent investigation' and to hold accountable 'all those who took part in, incited, or orchestrated this crime.'
The deadly clashes followed a wave of unrest triggered by a voice recording that circulated late Sunday into Monday, purportedly featuring Sheikh Marwan Kiwan from Sweida making derogatory remarks about Islamic holy figures.
The recording sparked anger and sporadic unrest in university dormitories in both Damascus and Homs, raising fears of wider sectarian strife.
Sheikh Kiwan later appeared in a video denying the voice was his and said the recording was fabricated to fuel sectarian division.
His denial was backed by an investigation from the Syrian Ministry of Interior, which called on the public to 'respect public order and avoid any individual or collective actions that could endanger lives, property, or public security.'
Violent clashes in the southern outskirts of Damascus left at least five people dead and several others wounded.
Fighting broke out near the town of Jaramana after a hardline armed group launched a mortar attack from the direction of Maliha, targeting the al-Naseem checkpoint, residents said. Armed local groups in Jaramana responded, sparking several hours of clashes.
According to preliminary reports, five young men from Jaramana were killed and eight others injured.
Similar clashes erupted in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, another Druze-majority area, where local sources reported injuries among residents.
In response to the violence, authorities imposed a curfew in Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, amid heightened security deployments and growing fears of further unrest.
The Syrian authorities could take meaningful steps toward transitional justice even before a dedicated commission is formed, including arresting and prosecuting individuals involved in human rights violations, the head of the Syrian Network for Human Rights said.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Fadel Abdul Ghany said the government has the ability to 'pursue and detain those implicated in rights abuses as a preparatory step toward accountability.'
He cautioned against misconceptions about launching transitional justice efforts without adequate planning, saying, 'One of the key mistakes made recently was the demand to begin the transitional justice process immediately, without first identifying the necessary procedural steps to ensure the process is independent from the executive branch and inclusive of all segments of society.'
To guarantee such independence, Abdul Ghany said the Transitional Justice Commission must be established by a legislative body, with clearly defined standards for appointing competent and impartial members.
He added that the commission must operate under the judicial system, which itself must be independent. 'This requires time,' he said, 'because it involves setting clear criteria for forming a Supreme Judicial Council and a Constitutional Court that are completely independent from the executive authority.'