On December 24, 2024, forces loyal to the ousted President Bashar al-Assad ambushed Syria’s new rebel-led authorities near the Mediterranean port of Tartous. This deadly clash resulted in the deaths of 14 interior ministry personnel and injuries to 10 others. The ambush occurred as the security forces attempted to arrest a former officer linked to the notorious Saydnaya prison.
The conflict is part of the ongoing turmoil following the fall of Assad’s regime, which was toppled by the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) over two weeks ago.
For over a decade, Syria has been a battleground of conflicting ideologies, foreign interventions, and relentless violence. The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, once seen as a beacon of hope for many, has not brought the peace and stability that Syrians desperately yearn for. Instead, it has paved the way for new power struggles, as evidenced by the recent rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) additionally reported Ed that three militants were also killed in the clashes.
In response to the unrest, the Syrian authorities have imposed an overnight curfew in the central city of Homs. The situation is however, still tense, with protests and demonstrations reported in various cities, including Tartous and Latakia.
