Syria authorities launch operation in Assad stronghold
Introduction
Syria’s new authorities, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched a significant operation in the western province of Tartus, a former stronghold of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, on Thursday, December 26, 2024. This area is where Alawites Shia population lives and HTS and allies i.e Sunni Muslim. This is alarm for ethnic cleaning.
‘You can remove God from people not people from God created. ‘
This operation comes in the wake of Assad’s fall from power earlier this month, ending his clan’s five-decade rule and more than 13 years of civil war.
Operation Details
The state news agency SANA reported that security forces conducted an operation against pro-Assad militias in Tartus, “neutralising a certain number” of armed men. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, three gunmen linked to Assad’s former government were killed during this operation.
This action follows a deadly clash that occurred just a day earlier in the same province. In that incident, 14 security personnel of the new authorities and three gunmen were killed when forces attempted to arrest an Assad-era officer. The wanted individual, Mohammed Kanjo Hassan, reportedly held a high-ranking position in the military justice system and was accused of issuing death sentences and arbitrary judgments against thousands of prisoners at the notorious Saydnaya prison complex.
Challenges for the New Government
The HTS-led government faces significant challenges as it attempts to stabilize the country:
Ensuring Security: The new authorities must deal with pockets of resistance from pro-Assad militias and former government officials.
Sectarian Tensions: There are growing concerns about potential revenge attacks against the Alawite community, to which Assad belongs.
Accountability: The new government has pledged justice for victims of abuses under Assad’s rule, while also trying to maintain stability and prevent further sectarian conflict.
Minority Protection: HTS has vowed to protect minority groups, including the Alawites, but faces the challenge of balancing this promise with demands for accountability.
Recent Unrest
The operation in Tartus comes amid rising tensions in Syria:
Protests erupted in several areas, including Assad’s hometown of Qardaha, following the circulation of a video showing an attack on an Alawite shrine.
In the central city of Homs, one demonstrator was reportedly killed and five others wounded when security forces attempted to disperse a crowd.
The new authorities have imposed curfews in some areas and banned the publication of content that could incite sectarian strife.
Conclusion
As Syria enters this new phase, the HTS-led government faces the monumental task of safeguarding the multi-sectarian, multi-ethnic country from further collapse while addressing the legacies of Assad’s rule.
The international community is closely watching these developments, with various delegations from the Middle East, Europe, and the United States visiting Damascus to establish ties with the country’s new rulers
