Syrian_Civil_War

Syria launches crackdown following deadly attack in Tartus

Syria’s newly established authorities initiate major security operation in Tartus province, a day after 14 policemen were killed by Assad supporters.

Syrian rebels
Syrian rebelsReuters/Emin Sansar/Anadolu

Syria’s newly established authorities initiated a major security operation on Thursday in Tartus province, responding to the killing of 14 policemen the day before, Reuters reported.

The crackdown targets remnants of the ousted Bashar Al-Assad government, accused of orchestrating the attack, state media reported.

The violence in Tartus, part of the coastal region predominantly inhabited by members of Assad’s Alawite sect, represents the gravest challenge to the Sunni Islamist-led government that removed Assad from power on December 8.

The Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, historically held significant influence under Assad’s regime, dominating the security apparatus used during the 13-year civil war to suppress dissent and opposition.

State news agency SANA described the Tartus operation as an effort to “control security, stability, and civil peace, and to pursue the remnants of Assad’s militias in the woods and hills.”

The crackdown coincides with warnings from Damascus authorities about attempts to incite sectarian conflict. A video circulating on social media showed an Alawite shrine in Aleppo burning in late November, which the interior ministry attributed to unknown groups. The ministry vowed that security forces were working “night and day” to protect religious sites.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the former Al-Qaeda affiliate now leading the government, has pledged to protect minority groups, including the Alawites, who fear Islamist rule. However, reports of sectarian violence have heightened concerns.

To address rising tensions, newly appointed Latakia Governor Mohammed Othman met with Alawite leaders to “encourage community cohesion and civil peace,” SANA reported.

Meanwhile, the Syrian information ministry imposed a ban on media content deemed sectarian or divisive, according to Reuters.