Syria’s newly established rebel-led authorities have claimed that supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad ambushed and killed 14 interior ministry personnel in the country’s west. The incident, which occurred near the Mediterranean port city of Tartous, also left 10 others wounded, according to reports. Tartous, a stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect, has seen growing tensions since the fall of Assad’s regime.

This clash marks the first direct confrontation between pro-Assad loyalists and the leadership of Syria's new de facto ruler, Ahmad al-Sharaa, whose Islamist faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), helped topple Assad’s presidency just over two weeks ago.

In response to the violence, Syrian security forces launched an operation in Tartous province on Thursday, aiming to restore "security, stability, and civil peace," state news agency Sana reported. The forces claimed to have "neutralized" several remnants of Assad’s militias in the countryside surrounding Tartous, while continuing to pursue others.

The fighting erupted when security personnel attempted to arrest a former officer connected to the notorious Saydnaya prison near Damascus. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that three unidentified armed men were killed during the clashes, while reinforcements were called in by the security forces.

In another development, authorities imposed an overnight curfew in the central city of Homs following unrest triggered by a video that allegedly showed an attack on an Alawite shrine. While the interior ministry dismissed the footage as outdated, the incident led to violence, with SOHR reporting one death and several injuries during protests in Homs.

The new rebel leadership, now in control of much of Syria, faces the immense challenge of ensuring security and stability across a war-torn nation. Syrians are looking to the new authorities for justice and accountability for the atrocities committed under Assad’s regime, including the widespread torture and killings that took place in prisons across the country.

The Alawite community, which is closely linked to Assad’s regime, is deeply fearful of reprisals, with many members held responsible for the brutalities of the past. Calls for a general amnesty for Alawites have emerged, but such requests face strong opposition, given the scale of alleged war crimes.

While HTS has increased security in Alawite-majority towns to maintain order, any attempt to arrest Assad loyalists could further destabilize an already fragile country. In Alawite-dominated cities like Tartous and Latakia, as well as in Assad's hometown of Qardaha, some former regime supporters are refusing to surrender weapons and are even hinting at resistance, as seen in Tartous.

Amid all this, protests have erupted over various issues, including the burning of a Christmas tree, and calls for the new authorities to protect the rights of minorities have grown louder. Syrians, especially those who suffered under Assad’s rule, continue to demand accountability for those responsible for the mass atrocities. Meanwhile, the HTS-led offensive that ended over 50 years of Assad family rule continues to reshape the political landscape, with HTS promising to protect the rights of Syria’s diverse religious and ethnic groups despite being designated a terrorist organization by multiple international bodies.