Clashes Erupt Between Armed Locals and Security Forces in Northwestern Syria
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Damascus, Dec 26 (NationPress) Intense confrontations occurred between armed local residents and security forces affiliated with the military coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the northwestern region of Tartus, according to a war monitoring group based in Britain.
The conflict ignited in the village of Kharbet al-Ma'zza when local residents resisted home inspections conducted by security personnel, leading armed locals to ignite a vehicle belonging to the HTS, as reported by the Xinhua news agency, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Reports indicate there were casualties on both sides, with the military coalition sending reinforcements, including a specialized division and ambulances, as the fighting persisted.
A significant convoy, featuring fighters from Unit 82 and K9 squads of the military coalition, advanced towards the vicinity of Latakia province. The new Syrian authorities are determined to detain the armed locals, whom they label as "remnants of the previous regime," and to avert any potential sectarian conflict in this diverse demographic region.
The military coalition gained control over the capital Damascus and most of Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government on December 8.
In a related incident, Israeli soldiers fired upon a group of protesters in southern Syria, injuring at least three civilians, including a child, as reported by both Israeli and Syrian sources.
Syrian media disclosed that Israeli forces targeted civilians who were assembling in the Quneitra area to demonstrate against Israel's appropriation of Syrian land in the Golan Heights.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated on the social media platform X that "multiple gatherings were noted in southern Syria, with individuals approaching IDF (Israel Defense Forces) units in the region."
The forces urged the protesters to disperse and subsequently "responded with warning shots," adding that the Israeli military is aware of the casualty reports and is investigating the incident, while their deployment in the area "will continue."
Earlier in December, the Israeli military took control of the UN-monitored demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights, claiming to expand settlements, a move that faced widespread international disapproval.
