By Omer Aydin and Ikram Kouachi
ISTANBUL (AA) - Syrian public security forces deployed on Saturday in the town of Ashrafieh Sahnaya in the southwestern part of Damascus, according to Syria’s official news agency SANA.
The deployment aims to maintain security and reinforce stability in the area, it said, adding that life has returned to normal in nearby Jaramana with markets showing noticeable improvement.
The move comes amid ongoing government efforts to demonstrate its ability to secure the country, particularly in sensitive regions where recent unrest has stirred concern.
It follows security tensions earlier in the week in both Ashrafieh Sahnaya and Jaramana, areas with significant Druze populations.
The unrest was reportedly sparked by the circulation of an audio recording attributed to a member of the Druze community, which allegedly insulted the Prophet Muhammad, triggering protests and violence that left civilian and security personnel casualties.
The Syrian government blamed the violence on armed outlaw groups attempting to incite chaos and sectarian strife.
In response, security forces worked closely with local Druze leaders and dignitaries to restore calm.
On Friday, the Israeli army carried out an airstrike near the presidential palace in the Syrian capital.
Israeli officials claimed the strike was a message against the presence of armed groups near southern Damascus and any potential threat to the Druze community.
The timing of the strike is seen as particularly provocative, coming hours after prominent Druze community leaders released a video reaffirming their commitment to Syria’s unity and rejecting any form of division or separatism.
Observers said the strike seeks to exploit sectarian divisions, especially within the Druze community, to justify intervention and push for fragmentation.
Damascus has repeatedly affirmed that all religious and ethnic groups in Syria are equal in rights and representation.