Islamists kill 6 people in Syria for "blasphemy" against Prophet Muhammad

Militants on the streets of the city of Jaraman in Syria. Photo: syriahr.com

On April 28, 2025, a group of armed Islamists attacked the city of Jaramana, where the Druze population predominates, killing 9 people, reports the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The incident was triggered by the spread on social media of an audio message attributed to a member of the Druze community, which contained "insults to Prophet Muhammad" and "incendiary statements."

After the recorded message appeared, "public outrage" against the Druze began in several provinces – Aleppo, Homs, Damascus, and others.

Large military convoys arrived in Jaramana, opening artillery fire on the town; at the same time, gunfire erupted in different areas.

As a result of the gunfire, six Druze were killed, and 15 others were injured. Among the attackers, three were killed, and two were wounded. SOHR reports that the number of casualties may increase due to ongoing fighting and difficulties in evacuating the wounded.

The Syrian Ministry of Interior stated that after the clashes began, security forces were deployed "to protect residents and maintain public order". A tight cordon was established around the area "to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents".

An AFP correspondent on Tuesday recorded the presence of Druze self-defense fighters at all approaches to Jaramana, while government-controlled formations were on the road to Damascus International Airport.

The local Druze Spiritual Council placed full responsibility for the attack on the community and any further escalation of the situation on the Syrian government. The Council also condemned "any attacks on Prophet Muhammad" and stated that the offensive voice message had been fabricated "with the aim of provoking unrest".

The Ministry of Interior announced an investigation into the incident and promised to hold accountable the author of the "blasphemous" audio file.

This is already the second major outbreak of interfaith and interethnic violence in Syria in recent months – earlier, in March, bloody attacks occurred against Alawite communities, which include the former president of the country Bashar al-Assad.

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