Thu Dec 26 07:48:15 UTC 2024: ## Syria Reels from Ambush, Protests, and Rising Tensions After Assad’s Fall
**Damascus, Syria** – Syria is grappling with escalating violence and widespread unrest in the wake of Bashar al-Assad’s ouster two weeks ago. A deadly ambush targeting Syrian police in Tartous governorate has left 14 officers dead and 10 wounded, according to Interior Minister Mohammed Abdul Rahman. The minister blamed “remnants” of the al-Assad regime for the attack and vowed a crackdown on those threatening national security. State media reported that a subsequent operation resulted in the neutralization of several armed pro-Assad militants.
The attack followed protests sparked by an online video depicting the desecration of an Alawite shrine in Aleppo. The Interior Ministry claims the video, showing armed men posing near corpses within the shrine, dates back to November and is being used to incite sectarian violence. Curfews were imposed in several cities, including Homs, Latakia, Jableh, and Tartous, though their status remains unclear. Demonstrations, reportedly led by members of the Alawite and Shia communities, have raised concerns about the safety of minority groups under the new administration.
Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra reports an extremely delicate situation, with heightened tensions particularly in Alawite heartlands and other areas. The new government has deployed significant security reinforcements, but faces the potential for a bloody confrontation with loyalists to the former regime. The new administration is reportedly considering a crackdown on members of the Fourth Division, al-Assad’s elite presidential guard.
Meanwhile, separate clashes are reported near Manbij in northeastern Syria, where Kurdish forces are attempting to retake territory from the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. This situation is further complicated by Turkey’s ongoing pressure on Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara considers a threat to national security. President Erdogan recently issued a stark warning to Kurdish fighters to disarm or face the consequences. The situation remains highly volatile, with fears of further escalation across the country.
First Piper 