The ambush took place near the town of Tatus Photo: Shigeki TAO/AP
In Syria, 14 police officers were killed and 10 others were injured in an attack that took place on the morning of 26 December in the province of Tartus. This was reported by The Guardian, citing representatives of the new government.
According to preliminary reports, the attack was carried out by forces loyal to the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad. The incident took place in a rural area where police officers were ambushed.
“Tough measures in response”
The Minister of Internal Affairs of the transitional administration said that the attackers were seeking to destabilise the situation in the country. He promised decisive action against those who pose a security threat.
“This attack is an attempt by supporters of the former regime to spread chaos and undermine the transition process in the country. We will not leave these actions unpunished,” the minister stressed.
Escalation of protests
The attack in Tartus took place against the backdrop of large-scale unrest in other regions of Syria. In the city of Homs, police were forced to impose a nighttime curfew due to the wave of protests.
The protests are led by representatives of religious minorities, including Alawites and Shiites, who oppose oppression and call for reforms.
The tense situation in the country is complicating the transitional authorities’ attempts to stabilise the security situation and implement the changes needed to restore peace.
The province of Tartus, where the attack took place, is a strategically important region that was previously considered one of the centres of support for the Bashar al-Assad regime. This incident shows an increase in tensions, even in areas that had previously remained relatively calm.
The situation in Syria remains challenging, as the country is going through a difficult period of transitional government after a long conflict.
