Syria moves to defuse sectarian tensions after deadly clashes

Syrian government officials and community leaders from the majority-Druze suburb of Jaramana reached a tentative agreement Tuesday to contain sectarian violence that left at least 18 people dead in southern Damascus.

A fabricated audio recording, allegedly attributed to a Druze religious leader, containing insults against Islam and prophet Muhammad circulated early Monday, sparking the violence.

The recording triggered fierce clashes between armed men from Jaramana  in the southern Damascus countryside and residents of a neighboring town early Tuesday. Mortar shells were reportedly used in the exchange, leaving 18 people dead.

"We agreed to hold accountable those involved in the recent assault and to bring them to justice," said Rabih Munzer, a member of the Jaramana Civil Group and a community representative at the emergency meeting with Damascus provincial authorities. He added that the agreement also included commitments to "curb sectarian and regional mobilization."

The meeting, attended by local religious figures and provincial officials, followed widespread condemnation of the violence, including a statement by Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, the top spiritual authority for the Druze community in Syria.

"We denounce these vile terrorist assaults on innocent civilians, which serve only to divide and incite hatred," Al-Hijri said in a video released before the agreement was announced.