Damascus, Dec 26 (NationPress) Syria's temporary administration has launched a security initiative in the outskirts of Damascus on Thursday, in conjunction with an operation aimed at armed factions in the coastal province of Tartus, as reported by local media outlet Al-Watan Online.

The operation focused on neighborhoods such as Qudsaya, al-Hameh, Ash al-Warour, Jabal al-Ward, and Hay al-Wuroud in the Damascus countryside.

Officials stated that the operation's goal was to “sweep through the area” by confiscating illegal firearms and detaining individuals labeled as “instigators of discord,” according to Al-Watan.

In Tartus, authorities reported that they had “neutralized” several fighters, referred to as the “remnants of Assad's militias” in forested regions and on hilltops. The report noted that efforts are ongoing to capture additional fugitives.

The crackdown is part of a series of nationwide security measures, aimed at reinforcing the new leadership's authority, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

This initiative follows protests in Tartus, Latakia, Homs, and Damascus, condemning the alleged assaults on a religious shrine significant to the Alawite community.

Security officials claim that such incidents are isolated, cautioning that remnants of the previous regime may be exploiting sectarian divides to incite unrest.

On Wednesday, reports indicated that up to 14 officers from Syria's interim Ministry of Interior were killed and 10 others injured in a “treacherous ambush” in the northwestern province of Tartus.

The interim government's Interior Minister, Mohammed Abdul Rahman, characterized the assailants as “remnants” of the former regime.

The ministry stated that the deceased officers were performing duties to uphold security and safeguard civilians.

Following the recent downfall of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria earlier this month, several high-profile incidents have escalated sectarian tensions nationwide.

On Wednesday, a video surfaced showing an alleged attack on a shrine cherished by Alawite worshippers in Aleppo, which incited protests and demands for accountability.

Demonstrations also broke out in numerous predominantly Alawite regions, with community members expressing concerns that the new authorities were not taking adequate measures to protect their religious symbols.