The UK-based monitoring group said the violence broke out in Tartus, a stronghold of the Alawite minority of the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad, on Wednesday, and was sparked by the attempted arrest of the former prison official.
Syria's new interior minister confirmed the deaths and said 10 police officers were also wounded by what he called "remnants" of the Assad government. The minister vowed to punish anyone who dared "to undermine Syria's security or endanger the lives of its citizens".
Yesterday, the new Syrian military leadership said it had launched an operation to pursue the last pockets of support for Assad's regime in the countryside of Tartus, the state news service Sana reported.
The operation had already succeeded in "neutralising a certain number" of armed men loyal to the toppled president, Sana said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported several arrests in connection with Wednesday's clashes.
This story is from the December 27, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 27, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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