At least 70 people were killed and injured in an overnight clash between new Syrian authorities and gunmen loyal to exiled dictator Bashar al-Assad, according to the War Monitor.
In the provinces of Latakia and Taratis, the long-standing base of Al Assad along Syria's Mediterranean coast, the battles were unfolding. It was the most deadly attack on Syrian new security forces, hours after 16 security guards were killed by Assad's loyalists in rural Latakia on Thursday afternoon.
It is the first extensive demonstration of the new authorities since thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Latakia's cities and demanded that government forces stop and withdraw from the countryside, they desclined power in December.
The government deployed more security forces on the coast late Thursday night to restore order. On Friday morning, government convoys were patrolling roads in both cities. According to state media, residents were told to stay home as security forces carried out a “coagulation operation” aimed at the armed wreckage of the Assad regime.
“Thousands have chosen to abandon their weapons and return to their families, but some have insisted on running away, continuing to run away and continue fighting. “The choice is clear. Put your weapons or face an inevitable fate,” he added.
Flairing tensions have become a key test of Syrian new leadership, which has set up a Muslim transitional government that a coalition of rebels overthrew the Assad regime and set up its transitional government.
Coastal states have raised important challenges as Sunni Muslim-led governments exert their powers. The area is the center of Syrian Alawi minority, including the Assad family.
Despite making up only 10% of the country's population, the Alawites had a major impact on the country during the Assad family's rules over 50 years. Alawis, who practices Shiite Islam, ruled the military's ruling class and superiority under the Assad government.
Syrian new leaders have faced sporadic hit-and-run attacks on Latakia and Taratis troops by armed men belonging to the Assad government since seizing power.
The new government has called on all members of Al Assad's security forces to abandon their ties with the former government and to abandon their weapons and vehicles from the new authorities of the “reconciliation centre.”
Authorities have not promised a comprehensive pardon to those who do so, and many remnants of the former government refused to take part in the process.
The overnight skirmish came hours after security guards ran an operation in rural Latakia to arrest officials from the Assad government, according to government officials who asked not to be identified because they were not allowed to speak to news media.
As security forces left one village, gunmen ambushed the convoy, village residents and officials said. At least 16 security guards have been killed, according to WAR Monitor, a Syrian observatory for human rights.
Beit Aana Ambush caused additional clashes between the government forces in the countryside of Latakia and the loyalty of the armed Assad.
Artillery and machine gun fires rang throughout the afternoon as hundreds of people fled to the countryside from Beit Aana and nearby villages. The residents said. It was not immediately clear whether civilians and Assad's loyalty had been killed.
As news of the clash spread, protests broke out in major Syrian cities, with some supporting the government and others demanding that their troops stand on the coast.
In Tartus, the port city, protesters chanted, “One, one, one – Taratis and Jabre are one.”
In other parts of the country, including Homs and Idlib cities, thousands of people have joined the protests to support the government. Some people called for crackdown on the armed wreckage of the Assad government.
According to the Syrian Arab news agency, authorities have imposed curfews in many major cities from 10pm on Thursday to 10am on Friday.
By Friday morning, Tartus and Latakian people appeared to be adventure outside their homes as security personnel patrolled the streets.
Reham Mourshed contributed the report.
