This came in a statement issued by the governorate on its Telegram channel, following an announcement earlier on Wednesday that a meeting would be held with the governors of Sweida, Mustafa al-Bakour, Rif Dimashq, Amer al-Sheikh, and Quneitra, Ahmed al-Dalati, along with the Druze sheikhs of mind, Hamoud al-Hanawi and Youssef al-Jarbou.
She noted that the session was held to discuss the events in the cities of Jaramana and Ashrafieh Sahnaya in the Damascus countryside, following attacks launched by "outlaws" that left dead and wounded. The governorate said in a statement: "During the session, which was held in Damascus and attended by the governors of the Damascus countryside, As-Suwayda, and Quneitra, along with a number of dignitaries and social figures (without identifying them), a preliminary agreement was reached stipulating a ceasefire in Jaramana and Ashrafieh Sahnaya."
She added, "A joint committee has also been formed to work on stopping the bloodshed and finding solutions that will contribute to achieving calm and stabilizing the situation in the two regions," without providing further details.
Amid the ongoing tensions, the General Security Directorate in the Damascus countryside announced the end of the security operation in Sahnaya on Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, Israeli aircraft launched an airstrike targeting three locations in the area, allegedly in "defense of the Druze."
In a related context, the governor of the Damascus countryside, Amer al-Sheikh, announced on Wednesday the death of a Syrian security member after an Israeli aircraft targeted security forces in the Ashrafieh Sahnaya area (south).
This came during a press conference in which the governor spoke about developments in the region, which has witnessed clashes with "outlaws," according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
Sheikh said, "Outlaw groups infiltrated agricultural lands in the Ashrafieh Sahnaya area (Tuesday/Wednesday night) and targeted every civilian or security movement, resulting in the deaths and injuries of civilians and members of the Public Security Forces (he did not mention their number)."
He added, "I visited Ashrafieh Sahnaya today (Wednesday) with the governors of Sweida and Quneitra (south). We met with social activists and emphasized the need for the return of state institutions." Sheikh noted that "an Israeli aircraft targeted security forces in Ashrafieh Sahnaya today, killing one security officer."
He continued, "We are equidistant from all Syrians, and maintaining security is everyone's responsibility." He emphasized "zero tolerance or leniency toward insults to religious sanctities, foremost among them the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him."
The Syrian official noted that "General Security arrested an unspecified number of outlaws in Ashrafieh Sahnaya," stressing the "need to restrict the possession of weapons to the state."
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Ashrafieh Sahnaya and Jaramana areas in the Rif Dimashq Governorate witnessed security tensions following the spread of an audio recording attributed to a member of the Druze community, which included "insults" to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
According to official sources, security forces were able to restore calm in the two Druze-populated areas, in coordination with local leaders, after civilian and security personnel were killed in attacks launched by "outlaw" armed groups seeking to "create chaos and strife."
Security forces intervened to restore calm in coordination with local dignitaries, setting up roadblocks on major roads to prevent further chaos. However, "outlaw" armed groups attacked security checkpoints, resulting in the deaths of 16 members of the Public Security Forces and civilians, according to statements from the Ministries of Interior and Health.
These developments come amid escalating warnings about Israel's attempts to exploit the Druze to impose its intervention in Syria, even as Damascus asserts that all components of the population are equal in rights.
In this context, the Syrian presidency, in a statement issued Wednesday evening, emphasized its complete rejection of what it described as "calls for international protection" issued by "outlaw groups involved in acts of violence," deeming these calls "illegitimate and categorically unacceptable."
