In Syria, 16 dead among the security forces in “violent” clashes since the fall of the al-Assad regime

These are clashes “The most violent against the new authorities since the fall” of the al-Assad regime, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH). Sixteen members of the Syrian security forces were killed on Thursday, March 6, during clashes with supporters of the former president, in the Lettaquié region, the NGO reported. For the past few days, fighting has been held in this region, the bastion of the Alawish minority of the fallen president, located in the northwest of the country.

“Sixteen members of the security forces were killed in attacks and ambushes carried out by armed men faithful to (Bashar al-)Assad in the city of Jablé and its surroundings ”said the OSDH. At least three armed men were killed in Jablé, added the NGO installed in the United Kingdom but which has a large network of sources in Syria. The majority of victims come from the former rebel bastion of Idleb, also in the northwest of the country.

Earlier, the Lattaquié security manager had announced to the Sana news agency that the authorities faced armed men who supported a former commander of an elite unit in Bashar al-Assad, desil al-Hassan, a “War criminal (…) who committed the worst massacres against the Syrian people ». According to the news agency, “Armed men fired from members and vehicles from the Ministry of Defense, near the village, killing one and several injured”.

Helicopter and artillery shots

The tension went up on Thursday in Beit Aana, a village of origin of wishes al-Hasan, when residents prevented the arrest of a person suspected of arms trafficking, according to the OSDH. The security forces then launched an operation, enamelled with clashes with armed persons, whose identities remain unknown. An al-Jazira photographer was injured during the clashes, according to the Qatari television channel, who said he was out of danger.

The authorities then led helicopter shots on armed men in the village of Beit Aana and the surrounding forests, and artillery fire in a neighboring village, according to the OSDH, pushing alawite religious leaders to call to “Pacific demonstrations” Friday. These strikes, which they qualified in a press release“Attacks on civilian dwellings” sowed terror among the inhabitants of the region, added the NGO.

A source from the Ministry of Defense told Sana that important military reinforcements were deployed in the Jabil region “To support the security forces and restore stability in the region”. Later in Thursday, young people, some of whom were armed, gathered in Idlib to support the security forces that were fighting in Latquié, the observatory reported. Messages broadcast by mosques speakers called to jihad (Holy War) against armed men, according to the same source.

Security issue

These violence comes after four civilians were killed in Lattaquié this week according to the OSDH, during security operations which also cost the lives of two members of the security forces.

Since the new authorities took power in Damascus, many security campaigns have been launched in several regions against those they accuse of being armed men loyal to Bashar al-Assad. Residents of the coastal region regularly denounce abuses committed in the region, qualified as“Isolated incidents” by authorities.

The country is led by Ahmed al-Charaa, appointed acting president at the end of January, after an armed coalition of rebel groups, led by Islamists, overthrew on December 8 the dictator who held the country with an iron fist for twenty-four years. In 2011, a civil war had broken out in Syria after the repression of antigan -government demonstrations, dividing the country and killing more than 500,000 people.