In the Syrian town of Jaramana, armed local residents are rallying to protect their community after a deadly attack by suspected Islamist extremists. The community is mourning seven victims whose funerals took place amid rising tensions and sporadic violence in the area. Despite the presence of some security forces, local men armed with rifles are predominantly responsible for defense efforts. Many locals express frustration over the lack of government intervention, emphasizing their resolve to protect themselves amid a growing crisis.
"Even as the funeral processions got underway, the men guarding them were receiving messages about spreading clashes and rising death tolls in a largely Druse town nearby."
"We're not seeing anything from the government," said Ghassan Azzam, who was standing in the crowd outside the cemetery. "We're just protecting ourselves."
"The reason lay inside a Druse religious hall: seven velvet-draped coffins, surrounded by hundreds of sobbing women in white shawls."
"The men blocking the roads into town were too preoccupied even to smoke, indicating the tension and urgency of the situation."
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