Clashes in Syria: Joumblatt calls for an end to the 'bloodbath'

Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader and Druze MP Taymour Joumblatt condemned on Friday the recent wave of violence targeting the Druze community in Syria, describing the ongoing bloodshed as “unacceptable.”

In a statement posted Friday on X, Joumblatt called for an immediate end to violence and aggression, urging all parties to uphold existing agreements and for the state to take responsibility for ensuring security and stability. He stressed that Syria’s future must be built on dialogue, unity, partnership, and equality among its diverse communities.

Joumblatt also extended condolences to the families of the victims, referring to them as the "martyrs of Jaramana and Jabal el-Arab"—areas with significant Druze populations that were hit hard by recent clashes. These confrontations erupted between Druze fighters and newly established security forces near Damascus, reportedly leaving over 100 dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The violence comes nearly five months after the fall of the Assad regime and the rise to power of Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, who had pledged to protect minorities but has since seen his forces engage in deadly conflicts with both Druze and Alawite communities.

In response to the escalating crisis, Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna, spiritual leader of Lebanon’s Druze community, convened a meeting Friday at the Druze Religious Council in Beirut. Attended by Arab ambassadors and members of the Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc, the meeting aimed to express the community’s concerns and discuss steps to prevent the conflict from spilling over into Lebanon. Abi al-Muna denounced recent sectarian rhetoric and inflammatory remarks, warning against any discourse promoting exclusivist nationalism or hostility toward Islamic groups. He emphasized the importance of safeguarding sanctities and maintaining intercommunal harmony during this volatile period.