The clash marks the first direct confrontation with forces loyal to Syria’s former president, following his ouster by rebel factions.

Supporters of the ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have killed 14 personnel from the newly established Interior Ministry forces in an ambush. The attack took place on Tuesday near the port city of Tartous, an area with strong ties to Assad’s Alawite Muslim sect. In addition to the fatalities, 10 more soldiers were injured in the fighting.

This skirmish represents the first direct challenge to the authority of Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria’s de facto leader following Assad’s removal. Just over two weeks ago, Assad’s regime collapsed when rebel forces, led by al-Sharaa’s faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized control.

The Syrian government launched a security operation in Tartous on Thursday, aiming to “restore stability and civil peace,” according to the state news agency Sana. Reports indicate that earlier, the security forces had been ambushed while attempting to arrest a former officer linked to the infamous Saydnaya prison near Damascus.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, reported that three “armed men” were also killed in the clashes, though their identities were not revealed. Reinforcements were later dispatched by the security forces.

In a separate incident, the authorities imposed a curfew in Homs, central Syria, following unrest triggered by a video allegedly showing an attack on an Alawite shrine. The Interior Ministry clarified that the footage was old, dating back to late November during a rebel assault on Aleppo, and that the violence was committed by unknown groups. The SOHR confirmed that one protestor was killed and five others injured during the unrest in Homs.

As Syria’s new leadership grapples with the task of maintaining security, it faces the challenge of addressing the rights of people from diverse backgrounds and delivering justice for victims of the Assad regime’s brutal rule. This includes dealing with the repercussions for the Alawite community, many of whom were complicit in the atrocities committed under Assad’s presidency.

Protests have also been reported in Alawite-majority cities, such as Tartous, Latakia, and Qardaha, Assad’s birthplace. The Alawite community is fearful of retaliation, with many members blamed for war crimes. There have been calls for a general amnesty, though such a move seems unlikely given the gravity of the accusations against them.

Despite efforts to strengthen security in these areas, al-Sharaa’s forces face a delicate balance between maintaining order and avoiding further destabilisation of the country. The legacy of torture and death in Syrian prisons remains a pressing issue, with countless families seeking justice for lost loved ones.

Syria’s former rebels, now in control, promise to protect the rights of the country’s diverse minorities, but they must first navigate the complex political and ethnic tensions left in the wake of the Assad regime. Meanwhile, protests continue, driven by public demands for accountability and the protection of all citizens, particularly the minorities.

In an additional blow to the fragile state of the nation, protests erupted on Tuesday over the burning of a Christmas tree, with renewed calls for the new authorities to safeguard minority groups in Syria.