12/26/2024–|Last updated: 12/26/202402:43 (Mecca time)
Syria’s new Interior Ministry announced early Thursday morning that 14 members of the ministry had been killed by “remnants” of deposed President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in the Tartous countryside, after the imposition of a cover fire there and in several governorates. following demonstrations and the outbreak of riots.
Interior Minister Muhammad Abdel Rahman reported in a statement that 14 members of the Interior Ministry were killed and 10 others injured after being subjected to “a treacherous ambush by the remnants of the criminal regime in the Tartous campaign. Governorate”, noting that they were carrying out “their tasks of maintaining the security and safety of the population”.
A Syrian Interior Ministry source told Al Jazeera that two members of the Interior Ministry forces were killed and four injured following clashes with gunmen in Tartous, west of country.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Syria said security services have intensified their deployment in the regions of Damascus, Latakia, Tartus, Homs and Aleppo.
Syrian security sources told Al Jazeera that a curfew covering the cities of Latakia, Jableh, Tartus and Homs would be imposed until eight a.m.
The sources added that the security deployment and curfew aim to preserve state institutions and citizens’ property, and that anyone who opens fire on security services and attempts to sow chaos will be prosecuted.
Earlier on Wednesday, protests took place in the towns and villages of Latakia, Jableh, Qardaha and Homs.
According to local sources reported to Al Jazeera, the demonstrators held banners denouncing “the burning of a religious sanctuary in Aleppo”.
For its part, a statement from the Aleppo police command said that a group described as a remnant of Bashar al-Assad’s regime set fire to a religious shrine for one of the sects in the Aleppo governorate with the aim of to sow discord and chaos among the Syrian people.
According to the statement, Aleppo Governorate Police Commander Brigadier General Ahmed Lattouf said that all units operating in the area were on alert and after search and investigation, this group was arrested, indicating that they would be brought to justice.