Deadly clashes erupted between Islamist factions now ruling Syria and supporters of former President Bashar Assad, resulting in six fatalities among Islamist fighters and several injuries, reports a British-based war monitor.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the fatalities occurred during an operation to detain a former Assad regime official accused of issuing execution orders and arbitrary rulings against thousands of prisoners. The fighters belonged to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which recently led the offensive that deposed Assad earlier this month.
Russia targets Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Christmas Day
While Syria's transition following Assad's ouster has been largely peaceful, questions remain about the new Islamist rulers' commitment to establishing a pluralistic government. HTS, which espouses a fundamentalist ideology, has not yet clarified how it intends to share power.
Since Assad's removal, revenge attacks have claimed the lives of dozens, primarily targeting members of the Alawite minority—a Shiite offshoot to which Assad belonged—activists and monitors reported.
In Damascus, tensions flared as Alawite demonstrators clashed with Sunni counter-protesters, with gunshots heard during the confrontation. The Associated Press was unable to verify the exact circumstances of the shooting.
Protests also erupted in Homs, the Hama countryside, and Syria’s coastal areas, demanding the release of former Syrian army soldiers detained by HTS. One protester died, and five others sustained injuries in Homs when HTS forces suppressed the demonstration, said the Syrian Observatory. In response, HTS imposed a curfew from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Kazakhstan Reports 42 Feared Dead in Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash
The Alawite protests were partly fueled by an online video showing an Alawite shrine being set ablaze. However, interim authorities claimed the footage was outdated and unrelated to current events.
Despite sporadic sectarian violence, fears of widespread bloodshed following Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, which claimed around half a million lives, have yet to materialize. The conflict displaced millions, both internally and externally.
In recent days, displaced Syrians have started returning to their homes, only to be met with widespread destruction. Many are attempting to rebuild their lives despite the devastation.
In the northwestern Idlib region, residents worked to repair shops and seal damaged windows, seeking to restore normalcy. HTS has long controlled Idlib, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa—previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani—who was once affiliated with al-Qaida. The area endured years of attacks from Assad’s forces.
Hajjah Zakia Daemessaid, a 62-year-old returnee, expressed her heartbreak over the damage. “My husband and I spent 43 years saving to build our home, only to find it destroyed,” she lamented.
Meanwhile, interim authorities in Damascus raided warehouses on Wednesday, seizing illicit drugs such as the banned stimulant Captagon and cannabis—substances previously utilized by Assad’s forces. Authorities reported burning a million Captagon pills and hundreds of kilograms of cannabis.