Four days of clashes between pro-government gunmen and members of a minority sect in Syria have left nearly 100 people dead and raised fears of deadly sectarian violence.

Deadly clashes between Islamist armed factions, security forces and fighters from the Druze religious minority near Damascus are another sign of the continuing fragility of the security situation in Syria after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.

Army says Israeli soldiers in southern Syria ready to prevent hostile forces from entering Druze areas; Israel said making list of Syrian gov't targets to potentially strike over minority's targeting