JERUSALEM/DAMASCUS, March 1 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was killed and nine others injured on Saturday as fighting erupted between residents and security forces in the city of Jaramana near Syria's capital Damascus, a war monitor reported.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the confrontation was reportedly triggered by an attack from the nearby town of Al-Malihah on Jaramana. Armed fighters from Al-Malihah launched assaults, prompting committees and community leaders of Jaramana to intervene in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.
However, after a young man from Al-Malihah was killed by residents of Jaramana, tensions worsened as security forces clashed with gunmen from Jaramana in the city's central Swords Square, leaving one gunman critically wounded.
Following the violence, security forces expanded deployment at the entrances and exits of Jaramana, combating gunmen in multiple areas.
Also on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered military troops to defend the Druze population in Jaramana.
"Israel will not allow the regime of radical Islam in Syria to harm the Druze community," they said in a joint statement, vowing to take "all necessary steps to ensure our Druze brothers' safety."
Israel has been working to solidify ties with Druze communities since expanding its territorial control near the border with Syria and in the occupied Golan Heights following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024.
Syria hosts Druze villages in the Carmel mountain region, the Galilee, and parts of the Golan Heights. Many Druze citizens serve in the Israeli military, with some holding high-ranking positions.
In a separate statement, the Israeli Defense Ministry issued an ultimatum to armed groups attacking Jaramana, warning that the Israeli military has been on high alert and "ready to enter Jaramana" within 40 minutes if hostilities continue.
The developments come as Syria's interim government struggles to navigate instability following the political upheaval, and there are concerns that international players could be drawn into the country's ongoing chaos. ■
