Calm returns to Syria's Jaramana suburb following clashes

DAMASCUS/ISTANBUL

Calm has been restored to the densely populated suburb of Jaramana near the Syrian capital Damascus as of late Sunday, local sources told Anadolu.

The end of tensions came after talks between security forces under the country's Interior Ministry and local leaders.

Tahir Mohammad Omar, the police chief of the Damascus countryside, inspected the police station where members of the General Security Forces and local armed militias called the Jaramana Shield Brigade were being held.

Musab al-Shami, a security official from Damascus's outer agricultural region of Eastern Ghouta, told Anadolu reporters at the Jaramana police station that the events started with the killing of Ahmed Al-Khatib, an employee of the Defense Ministry.

Saying that the tension increased after some people attacked the police station, Shami said that as a result of an agreement with the people and their notables, security and police forces returned to their posts.

"In the coming days, our cooperation with the people of Jaramana will strengthen," he added.

Stressing that those who act outside the law will be brought to justice, Shami expressed gratitude to the Jaramana people for their contributions and support in ensuring security.

Images taken by an Anadolu team in the district center confirmed that life had returned to normal.

Tensions began Friday evening when a dispute resulted in the killing of a member of the Syrian security forces and the wounding of another by an armed militia linked to the former regime at a checkpoint.

Jaramana, located approximately 60 kilometers (37.2 miles) from the Israeli border, is a diverse area home to Druze, Christians and Sunni and Shia Muslims.

Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.

The next day, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the new Syrian administration, who was appointed president on Jan. 29, tasked Mohammed Al-Bashir with forming a government to oversee Syria’s transitional period.