Source: Reuters citing the Syrian Minister of Internal Affairs
Details: According to the publication, this occurred in the rural area of Tartus.
The transitional administration reported the incident at a time when demonstrations and a nightly curfew in other locations marked the largest unrest since the overthrow of Assad more than two weeks ago.
The new Syrian Minister of Internal Affairs reported the killing of 14 police officers and the wounding of 10, whom he described as "remnants" of Assad's regime in Tartus, promising to deal with "anyone who dares to undermine the security of Syria or endanger the lives of its citizens."
Previously, the Syrian police imposed a nighttime curfew in the city of Homs, as reported by state media, following unrest linked to demonstrations allegedly led by members of the Alawite and Shia Muslim communities, which belong to minority groups.
Recall:
- The Assad regime held power in Syria for 53 years and collapsed after a 12-day offensive by rebels led by the Islamist militant group "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham," or "Levant Liberation Organization," culminating in the capture of Damascus on December 8 – the capital of the country.
- Hadi al-Bahra, the head of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, announced plans to form a civilian government following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
- The new interim Prime Minister of Syria is Muhammad al-Bashir.
- Russian state agencies "TASS" and "RIA Novosti" reported that the ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and his family are in Moscow, where they have been granted asylum.
- On December 16, The Wall Street Journal noted that following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, a "hunt" for the wealth of his family, accumulated over half a century of authoritarian rule, has begun. Estimates suggest their assets could reach 12 billion dollars.
- The Financial Times reported that after negotiations with the new leadership of Syria, Russia evacuated at least 400 soldiers from the Damascus region. A representative of "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham" stated that negotiations are ongoing for the evacuation of more soldiers throughout Syria.