Syrian Interior Minister Announces Death of 14 Security Personnel in Tartus Ambush

The current Interior Minister Mohammed Abdul Rahman in the Syrian transitional government announced on Wednesday the killing of 14 security personnel from his ministry and the injury of 10 others in an ambush carried out by “remnants of the former regime” in the countryside of Tartus province.

In a press statement, the minister specified, “The personnel were performing their duties to keep security and protect the safety of residents when they were attacked.”

The ministry’s Facebook page quoted Abdul Rahman as saying, “Today, the ministry has given an instance of sacrifice and dedication to protecting Syria’s security, stability, and the safety of its people.”

He further stated, “These sacrifices will not stop until stability is achieved and security is reinstated for the Syrian people. We will strike with an iron fist anyone who dares to threaten Syria’s security and the lives of its citizens.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that “nine people were killed in clashes in Tartus province after security forces attempted to arrest a military officer who held positions during the rule of ousted President Bashar al-Assad and was linked to the Saydnaya Prison.”

Later that evening, the Observatory confirmed that the death toll had risen to 14.

These developments could further bring about a sense of nervousness and distress among Syrians as they look toward their country’s future with anxiety. The new administration has promised to ensure the rights of all components of society are respected.

The doors of Syrian prisons were opened after opposition fighters, led by the “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,” toppled Assad’s regime this month, ending more than 13 years of brutal suppression of anti-government protests that sparked a war claiming over 500,000 lives.

Earlier, Syrian state media reported that police imposed a nighttime curfew in Homs after the disturbances linked to demonstrations reportedly led by members of the Alawite and Shia Muslim communities in the country.

Limited demonstrations also flared up in other areas along Syria’s coast, where many Alawites reside, including in Tartus city.

Some residents detailed that the protests were in response to recent violence and pressures against Alawites, a sect long seen as loyal to Assad.

The protests overlapped with the circulation of a video on social media, the timing of which remains unclear, showing a fire inside an Alawite shrine in Aleppo, with armed men seen roaming the premises.