Assad Loyalists Kill 14 Syrian Troops in Western Ambush

Syria’s newly-formed rebel-led government has reported that 14 interior ministry troops were killed in an “ambush” by loyalists of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. The attack took place near the Mediterranean port city of Tartous, a stronghold of Assad’s Alawite Muslim sect.

In addition to the fatalities, ten other soldiers were injured in the clashes, which occurred on Tuesday. The troops were allegedly ambushed while conducting an operation to arrest a former officer linked to human rights abuses at the notorious Saydnaya prison near Damascus, a facility infamous for the torture and killings of thousands during Assad’s regime.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), based in the United Kingdom, confirmed the clashes and reported that three unidentified armed individuals were killed in the incident. It also noted that government forces sent reinforcements to the area afterward.

Tartous has become a hotspot of tension as former officers and local Alawites resist the new authorities. Alawite religious leaders have called for a general amnesty, but this remains unlikely due to the sect’s alleged involvement in war crimes during Assad’s rule. Alawites, an offshoot of Shia Islam, played a central role in Assad’s regime, and many fear reprisals from victims of past atrocities. Calls for justice and accountability continue to grow, with families of the disappeared or murdered still seeking answers.

A local resident in Tartous shared concerns, saying, “The community is terrified of revenge. Former officers are refusing to surrender their weapons, and some towns seem prepared to fight back.”

In a separate incident, unrest erupted in Homs, prompting Syrian authorities to impose an overnight curfew on Tuesday. The protests were reportedly sparked by a video that allegedly showed an attack on an Alawite shrine. However, state media dismissed the footage as outdated, claiming it was filmed during a rebel offensive in Aleppo in late November.

The SOHR reported one demonstrator killed and five others wounded during the protests in Homs. Additional demonstrations took place in Tartous, Latakia, and Qardaha—Assad’s hometown.

The fall of Assad’s presidency, after a swift offensive led by the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), marked the end of more than five decades of Assad family rule. Assad and his family fled to Russia, leaving behind a fractured and war-torn nation.

HTS, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, United States, European Union, and the United Kingdom, has pledged to protect Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities. However, these promises are being tested as concerns grow over the treatment of Alawites and other vulnerable groups.

Tensions have also risen over incidents such as the burning of a Christmas tree, leading to calls for the new government to safeguard minority communities. One Alawite religious leader expressed his concerns, stating, “We need reconciliation, not revenge. Without amnesty, the wounds of this nation will never heal.”