At least 14 law enforcement personnel were killed in an overnight ambush in western Syria by the former forces of deposed leader Bashar al-Assad. The attack took place in the countryside of the Tartus region and also left 10 officers injured, according to the new interior ministry.
The incident occurred shortly after the new government's military operations command announced the killing of a group of remnants of the former regime in the same area. The new authorities have set a deadline for former regime forces and gangs to surrender their weapons, following Assad's departure from the country as rebels advanced on Damascus.
Syria's military operations command has deployed additional forces to establish security and hold accountable the remnants of the former regime attempting to destabilize security in the Syrian coast. The director of public security in Latakia emphasized a zero-tolerance policy towards criminal gangs threatening the safety of the people.
Former Assad regime security forces were seen handing in their weapons to the rebel-linked transitional government in Latakia, as part of a disarmament initiative. Similar schemes for returning weapons have been implemented in other cities like Daraa.
The new authorities issued temporary cards to former regime forces to allow freedom of movement in Syria while their legal proceedings are underway. The Assad regime and its forces have been linked to numerous atrocities during the civil war, including torture and ill-treatment of prisoners.
Protests were reported in Latakia governorate, coinciding with the circulation of a video showing the desecration of a site in Aleppo claimed as a shrine by the Alawite community. The interior ministry confirmed the incident but stated it occurred weeks ago and the perpetrators remain unidentified.
Syria's Alawite community, concentrated in coastal areas, held significant political, social, and military positions during Assad's rule. The circulating video of the shrine desecration was clarified as old footage from the liberation of Aleppo, aimed at inciting discord among the Syrian people.
