13 killed in sectarian clashes near Damascus

Sectarian clashes between forces linked to Syria's new authorities and Druze fighters spread overnight near Damascus, leaving 13 people dead, state media and a monitor said on Wednesday.

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The expanding violence is a major challenge to the authorities who overthrew longtime ruler Bashar Al-Assad in December and comes after sectarian massacres last month in Syria’s Alawite coastal heartland.

While seeking to present a more moderate image to the world, Syria’s new authorities must also contend with pressures from radical groups within their ranks.

State news agency SANA, citing the health ministry, said 11 people were killed and an unspecified number wounded “after outlaw groups targeted civilians and security forces” in the Sahnaya area.