Syria: 4 Tahrir al-Sham members killed in ambush in Assad stronghold, Israel launches 35 airstrikes near Damascus

At least four fighters from one of the factions that are part of the armed coalition that toppled ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were killed in an ambush on Saturday in the Latakia countryside, the stronghold of the ousted president, while Israel launched about 35 air strikes near Damascus.

Meanwhile, the coalition that took power in Damascus, led by the Islamic “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,” announced that “the Military Operations Department is sending major military reinforcements to the countryside of Latakia, Tartous, and Jableh.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “at least four fighters” from the “Sham Corps” were killed in “violent clashes that broke out in the Latakia countryside between gunmen from the remnants of the former regime and members of the faction.”

The Observatory indicated that “the attack came as a result of an armed ambush set up by the militants for the Corps’ fighters, near the Latakia-Jableh highway,” near the house of Wassim al-Assad, describing the latter as “a relative of Maher al-Assad, who was supervising the manufacturing and trading of Captagon.”

The Observatory pointed out that the clashes came "after the Corps headed to a military barracks that had previously belonged to the forces of the defunct regime in the village of Al-Hakim, affiliated with the Al-Muzayri'a area in the Latakia countryside, with the aim of controlling weapons thefts that were taking place in the barracks by remnants of the regime."

A source in the “Sham Corps” confirmed to France Presse that “armed robbers” opened fire on the Corps’ fighters who were “running a security patrol,” killing four of them.

The General Command of the Factions Alliance published a notice on the Telegram platform stating that “the forces present in Latakia are working to address the situation and hold the perpetrators accountable as quickly as possible, and with all firmness,” reminding that “it is strictly forbidden to carry weapons in the city of Latakia, and the necessary measures will be taken against any violator.”

The Observatory pointed out that the residents of the area had asked the new authorities on Saturday to intervene against those who commit “acts that destabilize the security of the area, which is characterized by the presence of many components of the Syrian people.”

On Saturday, the new authorities announced the allocation of telephone numbers to be contacted in order to report any emergency in Latakia.

It also issued a statement urging “anyone who has seized any public property, whether military or service property, to take the initiative to hand over what they have taken to the nearest police station within a maximum period of seven days from the date of issuance of this statement.”

On Tuesday, it called on all military formations and civilians in the Syrian coastal region to “not confiscate any equipment, weapons or public vehicles from anyone,” “under penalty of accountability and punishment.”

Israel launches 35 raids near Damascus

Meanwhile, Israel launched 35 airstrikes on Saturday against military installations near Damascus, in the latest in a series of air strikes in Syria since the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad last week, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Syrian Observatory reported that the latest wave of raids targeted camps of the former regime's army in the Damascus countryside.

The targeted camps include mountain tunnels containing missile and ammunition depots, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Israel has launched 430 air strikes on Syria since Assad was ousted on December 8, according to the Syrian Observatory.

Source: Agencies