What caused latest wave of sectarian violence in Syria, which killed more than 100

The death toll from the latest bout of sectarian violence in Syria has crossed 100, after clashes between police, pro-government militias and the Druze minority spread to new areas. The sudden outbreak of violence has exposed the growing instability and deep divisions in the country after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. The clashes that broke out between Islamist factions and fighters from the Druze minority spread quickly from the outskirts of Damascus to the southern region of Sweida.

 

The latest wave of violence to rock Syria started following an audio recording, allegedly insulting the Prophet—falsely attributed to a Druze cleric—surfaced on social media. Although Syria’s Interior Ministry denied the cleric’s involvement, armed Sunni extremist groups launched attacks on Druze-populated towns such as Jaramana. In response, Druze militias mobilised to defend their communities, and government forces intervened to contain the violence.

 

By May 1, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 101 deaths over three days of fighting. Among the dead were 35 Druze civilians on the road to Damascus, five Druze fighters, 20 government security personnel and 10 members of allied armed groups. The death toll included civilians, former local officials and members of minority communities within the government’s own security forces.

 

In Sweida, Druze leaders called for greater local control over policing, requesting the activation of judicial and Interior Ministry forces “drawn from the people.” They also expressed a willingness to cooperate with Damascus to secure key roads and infrastructure, signalling a fragile step towards unity. However, many remain sceptical of the central government’s intentions and capabilities, particularly as some pro-government factions acted independently during the clashes.

 

Bedouin tribal fighters, aligned with the government, reportedly, ambushed a Druze delegation near Ashrafieh Sahnaya and shelled Druze positions overnight. Authorities say more than 70 people were killed or went missing in those attacks alone. As sectarianism rears its ugly head once again in an unstable Syria, the latest spurt of violence has left its minority communities, especially the Druze and Alawites, increasingly vulnerable.

 

The new government in Damascus, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa and his Islamist coalition Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is, in fact, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, has been finding it difficult to maintain peace and stability since driving Assad out. While HTS has gained control of the capital and key regions, other areas such as Kurdish-held northeastern Syria and parts of the south remain semi-autonomous or contested. March saw similar violence in the Alawite coastal heartland, where Assad’s family draws its roots, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

 

External actors have further complicated the situation. Israel, citing its responsibility to protect Druze civilians, carried out airstrikes south of Damascus, including near the presidential palace. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes sent “a clear message” that his country would not tolerate threats to the Druze or the presence of Islamist forces near its border. Turkey, a key backer of the anti-Assad rebel forces, condemned the Israeli action as “dangerous and unacceptable”.

 

The increasingly open confrontation between Israel and Syria’s new rulers, and their competing claims over border regions and minority protection, risk further destabilising an already volatile landscape. The growing involvement of influential foreign and regional actors and the proliferation of multiple armed groups are clear threats to long-term peace.

 

Ad Hoc peace initiatives, offers of inclusivity and unreliable ceasefire efforts have not had an effect so far on the deep-rooted mistrust between the Islamist-led government and Syria’s minorities. As one Druze activist in Sweida put it, “We have the right to keep our weapons to protect ourselves from these random factions.”

 

In a nation battered by 13 years of civil war and decades of authoritarian rule, the recent bloodshed is a stark reminder of how close Syria remains to renewed conflict. As Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze, warned: “This is an unjustifiable genocidal campaign… our people were simply defending their homes.”

Middle East