Tensions between Syria’s Druze minority and the country’s new government, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa have sharply escalated in recent days, with at least 73 people reportedly killed in violent clashes. The Syrian government denies involvement in the attacks, but Druze leaders are calling for international intervention amid what they describe as targeted violence. Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze community, issued a rare and forceful condemnation of the regime on Thursday, calling the attacks “unjustified” and “intended to terrorize.” “This massacre, which we did not expect, is aimed at sowing fear,” he said, urging “rapid international assistance” to halt the bloodshed. The unrest has sparked protests among Druze communities outside Syria as well. In Israel, Druze demonstrators blocked the Elyakim Junction in the north, calling on the Israeli government and international actors to assist their brethren in Syria. The violence began earlier this week in the mixed city of Jaramana, southeast of Damascus, after a controversial audio recording—seen as offensive to the Prophet Muhammad—was circulated online and falsely attributed to a Druze cleric. The cleric denied any connection, but that did little to calm tensions. Clashes quickly spread to nearby Ashrafiyat Sahnaya and to parts of the Suwayda region, home to the majority of Syria’s Druze. Although the Syrian government claims the armed groups attacking Druze areas are “unaffiliated,” local leaders and residents assert otherwise, accusing the regime of backing the militias responsible. “A government does not massacre its own people and later call the perpetrators ‘rogue actors,’” Sheikh al-Hijri said. “These are regime-linked forces with a sectarian agenda. They are machines of killing and abduction.” In response to the violence, Syrian state media reported Thursday that local officials, including governors from Suwayda, Quneitra, and the Damascus countryside, met with Druze representatives and agreed on an initial ceasefire in Jaramana and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya. A joint committee was also reportedly established to help stabilize the situation. Despite the announcement, sporadic clashes continued, particularly in the village of Kanaker in western Suwayda. Druze residents there said they repelled an assault by armed factions overnight. President al-Sharaa, the former leader of the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has drawn criticism for sidelining the Druze politically and militarily since taking power. He has previously vowed to “return the Druze to the path of Islam,” raising fears among the community of sectarian persecution. More than half a million Druze live in Syria, primarily concentrated in the southern province of Suwayda, where they make up about 90% of the local population. Smaller communities also live in Jaramana, Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, and villages near the Israeli border, including the town of Hader in Quneitra. The Israeli government has expressed growing concern over the situation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz held an emergency meeting late Wednesday, following reports of intensifying violence. According to an official statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted a “warning strike” on a militia group reportedly preparing to attack Druze civilians in southern Syria. The IDF later evacuated three wounded Druze from Syria to Israeli hospitals via the Golan Heights. “Israel will not allow harm to come to the Druze community in Syria,” the joint statement from Netanyahu and Katz read. “We have a deep commitment to our Druze brothers in Israel, who share historic and familial ties with the Druze across the border.” Though Israel has no current plans to revive “Operation Good Neighbor,” the humanitarian initiative that provided aid to Syrian civilians during the civil war, the IDF has continued to supply food and medical assistance when needed. An international medical NGO has also set up a clinic in a southern Syrian village with Israeli coordination. Calls for international action are mounting. Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel sent a letter to Netanyahu on Thursday urging both diplomatic and military efforts “to stop the massacre,” warning of an “immediate and tangible threat” to Druze lives. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar echoed the appeal, urging the global community to protect minorities in Syria from the “regime and its terror militias.” Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv While the Syrian regime portrays itself as a unifier of sectarian groups and seeks legitimacy abroad, it continues to face serious domestic unrest among minority communities, including the Alawites, Kurds, and Druze. In March, violent clashes also erupted between regime-linked forces and Alawite residents. As with the current violence, the government denied involvement but locals claimed the attackers were affiliated with the regime. Despite ceasefire efforts, distrust remains deep among Syria’s Druze. “We no longer believe in a government that claims to represent us while enabling our slaughter,” Sheikh al-Hijri said. “We need the world to stop turning a blind eye.” Follow Ynetnews on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Telegram