Syrian Forces Experience 14 Deaths in Rural Clashes

Violence Erupts in Syria’s Tartous Amid Unrest Following Assad’s Ouster

Tartous, Syria – In a significant escalation of violence, clashes in Tartous province left fourteen security personnel and three armed men dead during an operation to arrest a former official connected to the infamous Sednaya prison. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the incident highlighted ongoing tensions following the recent ousting of long-time president Bashar al-Assad.

The violence began when Syrian security forces attempted to detain the ex-officer linked to Sednaya prison, a site notorious for human rights abuses. The interior minister confirmed the fatalities and stated that ten police officers sustained injuries, attributing the confrontation to "remnants" of Assad’s government. He vowed accountability for those threatening national security.

This incident coincided with widespread demonstrations across Syria, marking the most intense unrest since Assad’s removal a few weeks prior. Protests erupted in several cities, including Tartous and Latakia, traditionally strongholds of the Alawite minority, which had long supported Assad. Tensions were further fueled by the circulation of a video showing a fire in an Alawite shrine, provoking concerns of sectarian violence.

In Homs, security forces imposed an overnight curfew amid escalating protests linked to the overthrow of the Assad regime. Reports indicate that one demonstrator was killed, and several others were injured when security opened fire to disperse crowds.

In response to growing unrest, Syrian authorities pledged to protect minority groups fearing a potential shift to a more conservative Islamist governance under the new administration, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group.

Amidst the turmoil, the new regime announced the destruction of a vast stockpile of illicit drugs, including a million captagon pills, a substance whose production thrived during Assad’s rule. As the country grapples with its new reality, the situation remains charged and precarious.

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