Israel strikes town near Damascus amid sectarian unrest

DAMASCUS, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Israel strikes the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya southwest of Damascus on Wednesday, as Syrian forces regained control of the area following days of intense sectarian clashes, according to state media and a monitoring group.

Loud explosions echoed through the town amid Israeli aerial bombardment, coinciding with the presence of Israeli warplanes and drones, local sources reported. The strikes came after Israel had warned it would act to protect the Druze community in Syria, following widespread violence that has left dozens dead.

Syrian forces, supported by allied paramilitary units, launched a large-scale operation to secure Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, conducting door-to-door searches for wanted individuals and seizing weapons.

The town's entrances and exits were sealed, from the al-Maamel area to the Daraa highway and the Tayarah checkpoint, effectively isolating it from its surroundings.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, the total number of people killed in the recent sectarian unrest across Jaramana, Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, and along the Damascus-Suwayda highway has climbed to 42.

The victims include Druze gunmen and civilians, members of the General Security Directorate, and pro-government militia.

The violence was initially triggered by the circulation of an audio recording, purportedly from a Druze individual, whose remarks were considered offensive to Islam, igniting sectarian tensions and triggering retaliatory attacks in several towns south of Damascus. ■