Clashes broke out in a suburb of the Syrian capital early Tuesday between local gunmen belonging to the minority Druze sect and pro-government fighters, leaving at least four people dead, a war monitor and an activist group said.
Axar.az reports, citing AP, the fighting in the southern Damascus suburb of Jaramana broke out after an audio clip circulated on social media of a man attacking Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. The audio was attributed to a Druze cleric, who later denied being involved.
Druze cleric Marwan Kiwan said in a video posted on social media that he was not responsible for the audio, which angered many Sunni Muslims and led to the fighting in Druze neighborhoods in Jaramana.
“I categorically deny that the audio was made by me,” Kiwan said in the video. “I did not say that and whoever made it is an evil man who wants to incite strife between components of the Syrian people.”
The Interior Ministry said in a statement it was investigating the audio clip, adding that its initial probe showed the cleric was not responsible. The ministry urged people to abide by the law and not to act in a way that undermines security.