Syria’s newly established rebel-led authorities have reported that 14 personnel from the interior ministry were killed and 10 sustained injuries in a recent ambush orchestrated by forces loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad. The violent confrontation occurred near the Mediterranean port city of Tartous on Tuesday.
The ambush reportedly took place as security forces aimed to apprehend a former officer connected to the infamous Saydnaya prison, located near the capital, Damascus. This incident unfolds just over two weeks after a significant shift in power that saw rebel forces, primarily from the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seize control from Assad’s regime.
Additionally, reports indicate that three militants lost their lives during the clashes, with security forces subsequently calling in reinforcements.
In a related development, state media revealed that Syrian authorities have imposed an overnight curfew in the central city of Homs, following unrest triggered by a controversial video allegedly depicting an attack on an Alawite shrine. The interior ministry clarified that the video was actually from a prior event during a rebel offensive in Aleppo in late November, attributing the recent violence to unidentified groups.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported one fatality among demonstrators and five others injured in Homs, with protests also occurring in Tartous, Latakia, and Qardaha, the hometown of the Assad family.
The Alawite minority, from which the Assad family hails, played a significant role in the political and military landscape under the previous regime. The HTS-led offensive, which began in northeastern Syria and quickly spread nationwide, has culminated in the end of a more than 50-year rule by the Assad family, forcing them into exile in Russia.
HTS has publicly committed to safeguarding the rights and freedoms of various religious and ethnic minorities within Syria. However, it is important to note that HTS is classified as a terrorist organization by multiple international bodies.
Recently, protests erupted across the nation in response to the burning of a Christmas tree, leading to renewed calls for the new authorities to ensure the protection of minority groups.
