Deadly street battles, sectarian tension, and a rare Israeli drone strike expose the fragility of postwar stability in one of Syria’s most volatile suburbs
[Damascus] In a significant escalation of unrest, the western Damascus suburb of Sahnaya has seen fierce armed clashes over the past two days between local factions and unidentified gunmen. The violence, marked by sectarian tension and growing lawlessness, has left at least 11 people dead.
Fighting broke out in the Ashrafiyat Sahnaya neighborhood, with combatants using light machine guns and RPGs. Drone activity was also reported—some believed to be locally operated, others allegedly Israeli—intensifying fears about deteriorating security in the Damascus countryside more than four years after major combat operations officially ended.
From Jaramana to Sahnaya: Tension Ignites a Flashpoint
The crisis did not begin in Sahnaya itself but in the nearby city of Jaramana. A leaked audio recording insulting the Prophet Muhammad—allegedly made by a young Druze man—sparked widespread outrage. The tension quickly spread to Sahnaya, a city known for its sensitive mix of religious communities and a large population of displaced persons from conflict-ridden areas such as Daraya, Yarmouk, and Sbeineh.
Unidentified armed elements soon mobilized in Sahnaya, occupying rooftops in the Qaws-Bank district and firing on General Security checkpoints. According to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency, the initial assault wounded three officers. The violence spread quickly to nearby streets and farmland, prompting authorities to impose a nighttime curfew as panic mounted.
Who Is Behind the Violence?
Despite videos circulating online showing gunfire and explosions, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. A local source told The Media Line that the assailants appeared to be from tribal backgrounds, based on their dialect and clothing, but were not affiliated with any known opposition or pro-government faction. This uncertainty has only deepened public concern.
According to the same source, the gunmen rejected all mediation efforts, occupied rooftops, and fired on both security personnel and civilians. Although they reportedly withdrew temporarily by midday Wednesday, renewed gunfire later that evening suggested that government forces had not fully regained control.
General Security in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, Syria. (Rizik Alabi/The Media Line)
Official Response and Rising Death Toll
The Syrian Interior Ministry issued a stern warning, vowing to “strike with an iron fist” against those who threaten national stability. The Health Ministry confirmed that 11 people—both civilians and security forces—were killed, with an unknown number wounded.
Strike with an iron fist
Ali Al-Rifai, director of public relations at the Information Ministry, told The Media Line that a convoy of armed men tried to move from Ashrafiyat Sahnaya toward Jaramana but was intercepted by General Security forces, sparking a confrontation. He also reported that gunfire targeted a vehicle arriving from Daraa early Wednesday, killing six passengers and pushing the casualty count higher.
Local Mediation Efforts: Fragile and Incomplete
To contain the violence, community leaders from nearby Daraya, in coordination with the civil Druze movement “Men of Dignity,” formed a joint operations room with General Security to de-escalate the situation.
A senior source said Daraya blocked the movement of any armed individuals from its territory and sealed the road linking Jdeidet Artouz to Sahnaya. The city’s civilian administration also issued a statement urging residents not to demonstrate “to preserve public safety,” reflecting the crisis’s volatile sectarian dimensions.
With wisdom and reason, not with weapons
Meanwhile, neighborhoods in Damascus such as Al-Midan saw calls for calm. Prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Karim Rajeh released a recorded message urging people to defend the Prophet Muhammad “with wisdom and reason, not with weapons”—an appeal aimed at easing religious tensions.
Israel Strikes in Sahnaya
In a surprise development, the Israeli military announced it had conducted a “warning strike” using drones against what it called an “extremist group” allegedly planning to attack the Druze community in Sahnaya. The strike reportedly injured several people, though Syrian authorities have not confirmed the casualties.
The Interior Ministry later acknowledged that two Israeli strikes hit the city Wednesday morning, with multiple explosions reported across the region. This marks a rare instance of direct Israeli involvement in a localized Syrian conflict—an intervention some analysts see as a warning sign of possible international escalation if the violence continues.
Humanitarian Fallout: No Hospitals, Closed Schools
As fighting intensified, authorities sealed off all access to Sahnaya. Schools were closed, and movement inside the city was severely restricted. With no functioning hospital, injured residents sought care at distant clinics, often under threat from sniper fire, according to eyewitnesses.
Sahnaya is home to more than 1.5 million people of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds, making it a volatile flashpoint where localized unrest can easily spiral into wider sectarian conflict.
A Return to Civil War?
Although Damascus and its suburbs have been relatively quiet in recent years, the events in Sahnaya reveal persistent instability and a lack of genuine reconciliation. Analysts warn that this flare-up could signal broader collapse, fueled by arms trafficking, drug smuggling, and the failure of authorities to impose lasting order.
Israel’s involvement—even under the banner of prevention—adds a dangerous layer to the crisis. Foreign intervention could be used by regional actors to reopen sectarian and political fault lines within Syria.
General Security in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, Syria. (Rizik Alabi/The Media Line)
A Wake-Up Call for Syria
The violence in Sahnaya is more than a temporary flare-up—it is a warning. It reflects deep divisions, persistent insecurity, and the risks of unresolved grievances in a country still emerging from civil war. With multiple armed actors operating independently and weak central authority, towns like Sahnaya remain vulnerable to collapse.
This episode shows the urgent need for long-term solutions: rebuilding trust, addressing communal grievances, and fostering a national identity beyond faction and sect. Without such efforts, Syria’s fragile peace may not hold.