Israel conducts rare strike outside Damascus amid sectarian tensions in Syria

Everyone must… stay away from calls for revenge and retaliation, and allow justice to take its course,

Rifai said regarding the “recent events,” in Sahnaya,in a statement on Wednesday as cited by SANA

On this Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers, as we honor the Druze community’s contribution to Israel’s security, we stress our commitment to protect their brethren in Syria,

the joint statement added

We’re in extreme panic and fear because of the indiscriminate shelling, which is forcing most of us to stay totally shuttered inside our homes,

said Elias Hanna, who lives on the edge of Sahnaya

The state will not allow armed chaos,

said Damascus Rural Governor Amer al-Sheikh on Wednesday night at a press conference

This was irrational sectarian mobilization,

said Makram Ubaid, a local lawyer and member of the town's community committee

We’re worried that the massacres of the coast will repeat themselves near Sahnaya against the Druze,

he said

At the same time, a message was passed on to the Syrian regime: Israel expects it to act in order to prevent harm to the Druze,

they said