Not less than 16 safety personnel had been killed on Thursday by gunmen loyal to Syria’s ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad, a warfare monitor stated, in one of many deadliest clashes for Syria’s new leaders because the collapse of the Assad authorities.
The assault in Latakia Province, lengthy a stronghold for Mr. al-Assad alongside Syria’s Mediterranean coast, set off an hourslong conflict between authorities forces and the gunmen. It additionally prompted protests throughout the coastal area, with hundreds calling on authorities forces to withdraw from the realm.
“I heard some demonstrators threatening to return with weapons,” stated Alaa Mousa, 30, a resident of Tartous, a port metropolis. He stated he felt like “the state of affairs is on the breaking point.”
The clashes had been among the many most violent since a insurgent coalition toppled the Assad government in December and put in an Islamist transitional authorities that has sought to exert its authority throughout the fractious nation.
The coastal area has emerged as one of the crucial difficult areas for the Sunni Muslim-led authorities. It’s the heartland of Syria’s Alawite minority, which incorporates the Assad household. The Alawites, who follow an offshoot of Shiite Islam, make up round 10 p.c of Syria’s inhabitants and dominated the ruling class and higher ranks of the army beneath the Assad authorities.
The flaring tensions have develop into a crucial check for the nation’s new leaders.
Ibrahim al-Assil, a senior fellow on the Center East Institute in Washington, stated that if authorities forces “act in a disciplined method, they may reach restoring order and preserve fashionable assist.” However, he stated, if “particular person fighters or rogue items have interaction in revenge assaults in opposition to locals, the state of affairs may spiral into sectarian clashes, additional destabilizing the nation.”
The clashes started Thursday afternoon as safety personnel for the brand new authorities had been conducting an operation within the countryside of Latakia, in keeping with the warfare monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The safety personnel had been attempting to arrest an official from the Assad authorities, in keeping with a authorities official who requested to stay nameless as a result of he was not approved to talk to the press.
Upon leaving one village, Beit Aana, the federal government forces had been ambushed by gunmen and several other had been killed, in keeping with two village residents.
The ambush sparked further clashes between authorities forces and armed males loyal to Mr. al-Assad in that village and surrounding areas, in keeping with the Syrian Observatory.
Artillery and machine gunfire hearth had been heard all through the afternoon, and at the least one helicopter fired on the village, in keeping with the warfare monitor and the 2 residents. The chaos prompted a whole bunch of individuals from Beit Aana and close by villages to flee to the close by countryside, the residents stated.
It was not instantly clear if any civilians or the gunmen had been killed.
The clashes prompted protests throughout Syria’s western coast, with hundreds pouring into the streets of Latakia Metropolis, the provincial capital, and close by Tartous, and calling for presidency forces to withdraw from the Latakia countryside.
In Tartous, protesters gathered round Al-Assadi Sq., chanting “One, one, one — Tartous and Jableh are one,” referring to the realm, Jableh, the place the clashes had unfolded, in keeping with residents. Outdoors one authorities constructing, authorities safety forces fired into the realm to attempt to disperse the group.
Protests by individuals who assist the brand new authorities additionally erupted in main cities, together with Homs and Idlib. The insurgent coalition now answerable for Syria ruled Idlib within the later years of the nation’s civil warfare.
On Thursday night, the Syrian authorities introduced a curfew from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. Friday in lots of main cities, in keeping with the Syrian Arab Information Company, the state media. The federal government additionally deployed further safety forces to the coast.
Late Thursday night time, most streets in Tartous had emptied, with individuals obeying the curfew. However the metropolis remained tense.
“This calm appears to be the calm earlier than the storm,” Mr. Mousa stated.
Reham Mourshed contributed reporting.
