Syria.. 16 security personnel killed in attacks by Assad remnants, curfew in Tartous, Homs and Latakia

Sixteen members of the Syrian security forces were killed on Thursday in attacks carried out by gunmen from the remnants of Assad. As the clashes continue, the Syrian security forces announced a curfew in Tartous, Latakia and Homs, and arrested Major General Ibrahim Huwaija, the former head of Air Force Intelligence.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, "the death toll from attacks and ambushes carried out by pro-Assad gunmen in the town of Jableh and its countryside has reached 16 members of the Syrian security forces." These are the most violent attacks against the new authority since the Assad regime was overthrown in December 2024.

The Syrian Ministry of Defense sent huge military reinforcements to the Jableh region and its countryside to support the public security forces and restore stability to the region, according to what was reported by the official news agency "SANA".

Latakia Security Director, Major Mustafa Knefati, said in a press statement that "a premeditated and well-planned attack by the remnants of Assad's militias targeted our points, checkpoints, and many of our patrols in the Jableh area and its countryside, resulting in casualties among our forces."

He added, "The public security forces in the province are fully on alert, and that his forces were able to absorb the attack of the remnants of the regime in the Jableh countryside, adding that "the clashes are still ongoing with them inside the city."

Chants and crowds in #Damascus supporting the Syrian Ministry of Defense's operations on the Syrian coast against the remnants of the ousted regime.. Details with #Aljazeera correspondent Amr Halabi #Aljazeera_Syria #News pic.twitter.com/ONgZlvqBr0

— Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) March 6, 2025

For his part, a security source stated that "the Syrian administration will not allow the imposition of a reality outside the authority of the state and will continue the procedures to impose security, indicating that the next stage "will be a stage of stability and construction under the authority of the law."

Al Jazeera quoted the source as saying, "The groups entrenched in Latakia include 'war criminals', and the Syrian state will impose its authority on all groups outside the law and will not allow security to be threatened."

Arrest of Ibrahim Huwaija

On the other hand, the official SANA news agency quoted a source in the Syrian General Security Department confirming the arrest of Major General Ibrahim Huwaija, the former head of Air Force Intelligence in the ousted regime.

The source said, "After careful monitoring and investigation, our forces in the city of Jableh were able to arrest the criminal Major General Ibrahim Huwaija, the former head of the Air Force Intelligence in Syria, who is accused of hundreds of assassinations during the era of Hafez al-Assad, including supervising the assassination of Kamal Bey Jumblatt."

The Lebanese Druze leader Kamal Jumblatt was assassinated on March 16, 1977. On the X platform, former MP Walid Jumblatt, who inherited the leadership from his father after his assassination, reposted the news with the comment “God is Great.”

God is great https://t.co/nUz9cRlT5A

— Walid Joumblatt (@walidjoumblatt) March 6, 2025

Jumblatt has long accused the Syrian regime of assassinating his father, who was shot dead by unknown assailants who intercepted his car during Syria's intervention in Lebanon's civil war (1975-1990). At the time, Kamal Jumblatt was an ally of the Palestine Liberation Organization led by Yasser Arafat against Damascus.

curfew

The Syrian General Security Directorate announced, on Thursday, the imposition of a general curfew in Tartous, Homs and Latakia, until Friday morning, following the security incidents witnessed in the latter.

The Public Security Department in the city of Tartous (northwest) said that it "announces the imposition of a general curfew, starting from 10:00 pm today until 10:00 am on Friday."

She explained that the decision comes "based on security directives and necessary precautions to ensure the safety of citizens," and called on all citizens to "fully adhere to this decision and take all preventive measures to ensure their safety and the safety of their families," according to the SANA agency.

The General Security Department in the city of Homs (central) also decided to impose a general curfew, starting from 10:00 pm on Thursday until 08:00 am on Friday, calling on all citizens to abide by the curfew. A similar measure was taken by the General Security Department in the Latakia Governorate (northwest), where it decided to impose a curfew until 10:00 am.

#Aljazeera obtains information from special security sources regarding the movements of cells affiliated with the former regime that carried out operations in the Latakia countryside, and a security source says that the military council formed by Brigadier General Ghiath Dala has begun expanding its influence on the ground and has established alliances with former leaders in the ousted army #Aljazeera_Syria #News pic.twitter.com/4Ixulj52by

— Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) March 6, 2025

Remnants of the Assad regime

Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime, the Military Operations Administration has opened settlement centers with elements of the ousted regime to surrender their weapons, but some of them refused to comply with this initiative and chose to flee and hide in mountainous areas and set up ambushes against government forces.

On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions took control of Damascus and other cities, ending 61 years of the bloody Baath Party regime and 53 years of Assad family rule.

On January 29, the Syrian administration announced the appointment of Ahmed al-Sharaa as president of the country in the transitional phase, in addition to other decisions including the dissolution of the armed factions and security services that existed during the previous era, the People's Assembly (parliament), the Baath Party, and the cancellation of the constitution.

In addition, the spokesman for the Syrian Ministry of Defense, Colonel Hassan Abdul Ghani, issued a warning to the remnants of the Assad regime not to be fuel for a losing war after the ousted head of the regime, Bashar al-Assad, fled and left them to their fate.

This came in his first comment on the security tension in Latakia Governorate, after elements of the remnants of the former regime targeted patrols and checkpoints, resulting in the deaths and injuries of security personnel.

In a series of posts on the “X” platform, Abdul Ghani said: “To the major war criminals, you have been defeated despite your fortifications and equipment, and today you are scattered among the mountains with no refuge but the courts where you will face justice.”

He added: "Thousands chose to surrender their weapons and return to their families, while some insist on fleeing and dying in defense of murderers and criminals."

He continued, warning the remaining remnants: "Do not be fuel for a losing war. Bashar fled and left you to your fate, so do not repeat the mistake so that it will not be the last."

Source: Yemen Youth Net + Agencies + Al Jazeera