Ambush in Syria kills 14 interim govt officers

Damascus, Dec 26 (IANS) Fourteen officers from Syria's interim Ministry of Interior were killed and ten others injured in a "treacherous ambush" in the northwestern province of Tartus on Wednesday, the interim government's Interior Minister Mohammed Abdul Rahman announced.

The minister described the attackers as "remnants" of the former government, reports Xinhua news agency, citing local Al-Watan newspaper.The ministry said the slain officers were carrying out duties aimed at maintaining security and protecting civilians.

No further details were provided.

Earlier, it was reported that violent clashes erupted between local armed residents and security personnel from the military coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Tartus province.

The fighting started in the village of Kharbet al-Ma'zza when locals opposed home inspections by the security forces, prompting armed residents to set fire to a vehicle belonging to the HTS, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

A large convoy comprising fighters from Unit 82, K9 squads of the military coalition headed to the region near the Latakia province, it said, adding that Syria's new authorities aim to apprehend the armed locals they describe as "remnants of the previous regime" and to prevent any sectarian unrest in the demographically diverse area.

Following the recent collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria earlier this month, several high-profile incidents have heightened sectarian tensions across the country.

On Wednesday, a video circulated depicting an alleged attack on a shrine revered by Alawite worshipers in Aleppo sparked protests and calls for accountability.

Demonstrations also erupted in several predominantly Alawite areas, with community members voicing concerns that the new authorities were not doing enough to protect their religious symbols.

Meanwhile, security officials insisted such events were isolated and warned that remnants of the former government might exploit sectarian fault lines to sow discord.