Syria’s new rebel-led authorities have reported that 14 interior ministry troops were killed and 10 others wounded in an ambush by supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. The incident occurred on Tuesday near Tartous, a coastal stronghold of Assad’s Alawite Muslim sect.
According to reports, the security forces were attacked while attempting to arrest a former officer linked to the notorious Saydnaya prison near Damascus.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) stated that three unidentified armed men were also killed in the clashes, and reinforcements were later deployed by the security forces.
The ambush comes just weeks after the Islamist-led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel forces overthrew Assad’s presidency, ending over 50 years of Assad family rule.
Assad and his family fled to Russia during the HTS-led offensive, which promised to safeguard the rights and freedoms of Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities.
Tensions remain high in the country, particularly within the Alawite community, an offshoot of Shia Islam to which Assad’s family belongs. Alawites fear retribution for alleged war crimes, including torture and killings under Assad’s regime.
Calls by Alawite religious leaders for a general amnesty have been met with resistance due to demands for justice and accountability from Syrians affected by decades of oppression.
Separately, unrest has erupted in several cities, including Tartous, Latakia, and Homs. The interior ministry imposed an overnight curfew in Homs after demonstrations over a video allegedly showing an attack on an Alawite shrine.
The ministry claims the footage is outdated and unrelated to recent events. SOHR reported one demonstrator killed and five wounded in Homs.
The HTS, designated a terrorist organisation by the UN, US, UK, EU, and others, has faced criticism over its governance. On Tuesday, protests broke out over the burning of a Christmas tree, fuelling calls for stronger protections for minorities under the new administration.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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