The Syrian government has reached a landmark agreement with community leaders in Jaramana, near Damascus, to bolster local security.
The deal, announced late Thursday by the Damascus Countryside Governorate, mandates the handover of heavy weapons and the deployment of Interior Ministry forces.
Governor Amer Al-Sheikh directed negotiations led by Eastern Ghouta head Mohammad Ali Amer, who met with religious and social leaders.
Officials stated the pact aims to restore daily life while preserving dignity and safety under state authority and law.
As part of the deal, checkpoints run by the Ministry of Defense will encircle the city, and all unlicensed weapons will be banned.
In parallel, Druze leaders in Suwayda reaffirmed their loyalty to a unified Syria, rejecting any calls for division or separatism.
They urged stronger judicial and security measures drawn from local ranks, and state responsibility for securing the Suwayda–Damascus route.
The plea comes amid ongoing instability, including Israeli airstrikes Wednesday on Ashrafieh Sahnaya that killed a Syrian security officer.
The Israeli army said its forces remain deployed in southern Syria to repel threats and protect nearby Druze villages.
Tensions flared after a controversial audio clip insulted Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, triggering violence and sectarian unrest online.
The Syrian Health Ministry reported 16 deaths in attacks by “outlawed groups,” as authorities concluded a major operation in Ashrafieh Sahnaya.
Damascus accuses Israel of exploiting Druze concerns to justify its occupation of Syrian territory since December 2024.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa condemned the occupation, calling for Israel’s withdrawal and denouncing it as a violation of national sovereignty.
The Druze, roughly 3% of Syria’s population, remain central to the country’s message of unity amid regional and sectarian challenges.
