UPDATE - Syria rejects calls by ‘outlaw groups’ for ‘international protection’ after clashes near Damascus

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By Laith Al-jnaidi and Rania Abu Shamala

DAMASCUS/ISTANBUL (AA) - Syria rejected recent demands by “outlaw groups involved in acts of violence” near Damascus for “international protection” in a categorical rejection of all forms of external interference in its internal affairs.

Sixteen civilians and security personnel were killed in attacks by “outlaw groups” in southern Syria, authorities said Wednesday.

The Interior Ministry said the violence was sparked by the circulation of an audio recording deemed offensive to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad which triggered sectarian tension and demands for revenge on social media.

“The Syrian Arab Republic firmly rejects all forms of foreign interference in its internal affairs,” the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

It condemned “the recent calls made by outlaw groups involved in acts of violence on Syrian soil, demanding what is termed international protection,” describing them as “illegitimate and completely unacceptable.”​​​​​​​

The ministry stressed that the appeals “come from parties operating outside the framework of Syrian law, in a clear attempt to internationalize a situation that must be addressed exclusively within the institutions of the Syrian state.”

It warned that the actions represent “a direct threat to the unity of the country and undermine national efforts aimed at restoring security and stability across all Syrian territories.”

The Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Syria’s “firm commitment to protecting all components of the Syrian people without exception, including the honorable Druze community, which has always been and remains an integral part of the Syrian national fabric.”

It expressed a “deep appreciation for the wise and responsible role played by several Druze sheikhs and community elders in extinguishing the flames of sedition and preserving civil peace,” according to the statement.

It also reiterated its full assertion that “all national issues are to be addressed solely through national mechanisms.”

Damascus reaffirmed its rejection of any “external dictates or interventions,” stressing that “Syria’s sovereignty is not up for debate or negotiation.”

Damascus countryside police chief Hussam al-Tahan said armed groups attacked security posts on the outskirts of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, a mainly Druze town 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) from the center of Damascus.

He said 11 security personnel were among those killed.

Tahan said the escalation followed unrest in nearby Jaramana, also a Druze area, where a fragile ceasefire agreement had been brokered in the last two days with local community leaders.

The agreement included a halt to gunfire and the return of the bodies of those killed in recent clashes. Authorities began implementing the terms immediately, he said.

“However, outlaw groups infiltrated farmland in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya on Tuesday night and opened fire on both civilians and security personnel, causing more casualties,” he added.

Prominent Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt called for a transparent investigation into the recent deadly clashes in Jaramana and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya.

At the same time, Jumblatt firmly condemned the insult to Islamic beliefs that fueled the violence.​​​​​​​

Earlier, Syrian authorities launched a sweeping security operation in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya to find the “armed outlaw gangs” responsible for the attacks.

Tahan said later that government forces concluded the operation and were deployed across neighborhoods in the area “to guarantee the restoration of security and stability,” according to the official Syrian news agency SANA.​​​​​​​

“An Israeli aircraft targeted security forces in Ashrafieh Sahnaya today, resulting in the death of a security officer,” Damascus Countryside Governor Amer Al-Sheikh told a press conference.

He said that general security forces had arrested a number of outlaws in Ashrafieh Sahnaya, emphasizing that “weapons must be restricted to the hands of the state.”

The Governorate of Suwayda in southern Syria announced Wednesday evening that a “preliminary agreement” had been reached to implement a ceasefire in the towns of Jaramana and Ashrafieh Sahnaya, along with the formation of a joint committee to address the ongoing security tensions in the two areas.