Syrian conflict escalates: New authorities clash with Assad loyalists
A military operation against forces loyal to the ousted president Bashar al-Assad has begun in Tartus. This information was reported by the Polish Press Agency, citing reports from the Syrian agency SANA.
On Thursday, in the Syrian city of Tartus, located on the Mediterranean Sea, the new authorities launched an operation targeting forces loyal to the ousted president Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian agency SANA provided this information.
On Tuesday in Tartus, an ambush resulted in the death of 14 security personnel from the new authorities. Assad loyalists attacked an attempt to arrest a former officer linked to the Sednaya prison near Damascus. In response to these events, the new authorities imposed a curfew in several cities, including Homs.
The new Syrian authorities have taken actions that led to the neutralization of some fighters loyal to Assad. The Syrian Minister of Interior warned via Telegram that anyone threatening the country's security or its citizens would be eliminated.
Syrian rebels, led by the Islamist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), announced the overthrow of Assad's regime on December 8. He had maintained power for years with the support of Russia and Iran. Riots initiated by Assad loyalists occurred in several cities, prompting the new authorities to take decisive action.
Massive challenge ahead for Syria
The new leaders of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria face the monumental task of protecting this multireligious and multiethnic country from further collapse.
Rooted in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, a Sunni Muslim jihadist group, HTS has softened its rhetoric and promised to protect minorities, including the Alawite community from which Assad hails. According to AFP, the new authorities also committed to delivering justice to the victims of abuses under the deposed ruler's regime.
