A prominent Druze cleric known for criticizing Syria’s regime and Muslim militancy was assassinated on Friday in a car bomb attack that killed 25 others and sparked riots outside the city of Sweida, a monitor said.
“Sheikh Wahid al-Balous was killed in a car bomb attack as he was driving on the outskirts of Sweida City,” Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman said.
Abdel Rahman said a second car bomb struck near the hospital in the Dahr al-Jabal neighborhood where the wounded were being taken.
He told reporters the toll from the two attacks had risen from eight people to 26, and that 50 others were wounded.
Balous was a popular leader in the southwestern city of Sweida, the heartland of Syria’s Druze minority, which made up about 3 percent of the nation’s pre-war population of 23 million.
His death sparked riots in Sweida, where protesters smashed a statue of Hafez al-Assad, the deceased ruler of Syria and father of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the rights group said.
“Dozens of protesters have gathered at government institutions... they burned some cars and gunshots were heard in the city,” the group said.
“It’s an uprising by Balous’ supporters, because they believe the regime killed him,” Abdel Rahman added, describing the late-night instability as “major” for a city that has largely been spared the violence of Syria’s ongoing war.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said he heard crashing sounds and saw protesters throw rocks at a municipal building.
According to Malek Abu Kheir, a journalist from Sweida who knew Balous, the sheikh often spoke out against both militant groups and the al-Assad regime.
“Balous was the leader of the Sheikhs of Dignity group, which aimed to protect the Druze areas in Syria,” Abu Kheir said.
The Sheikhs of Dignity is the most powerful militia in the area and had fought fierce battles against the Islamic State militant group and al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate.
Balous also opposed army conscripts from Sweida being sent outside the province, Abu Kheir told media.
Days before Balous’s murder, Sweida residents had gathered in the city to demand more regular government services, including electricity and water — a protest that he had supported, activists said.
The head of Lebanon’s Druze community, Walid Jumblatt, in a condolence statement he posted on Twitter, accused the Assad government of killing Balous.
“My condolences to Sheikh Wahid al-Balous and his companions, who were assassinated by the regime of Bashar al-Assad,” he said.
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