People protest in front of a prison demanding the release of their family members, in Syria's town of Adra, on the northeastern outskirts of Damascus, on Christmas Day. Photo: AFP/ Sameer Al-Doumy
Fourteen Syrian police were killed in an "ambush" by forces loyal to the ousted government in the Tartous countryside, the transitional administration says, as demonstrations and an overnight curfew mark the most widespread unrest since Bashar al-Assad's removal more than two weeks ago.
Syria's new interior minister said on Telegram on Boxing Day that 10 police were also wounded by what he called "remnants" of the Assad government in Tartous.
The minister vowed to crack down on "anyone who dares to undermine Syria's security or endanger the lives of its citizens."
Earlier, Syrian police imposed an overnight curfew in the city of Homs, state media reported, after unrest there linked to demonstrations that residents said were led by members of the minority Alawite and Shi'ite Muslim religious communities.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the demands of the demonstrators, nor the degree of disturbance that took place.
Some residents said the demonstrations were linked to pressure and violence in recent days aimed at members of the Alawite minority, a sect long seen as loyal to Assad, who was toppled by Sunni Islamist rebels on 8 December.
Spokespeople for Syria's new ruling administration led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, a former al Qaeda affiliate, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the curfew.
State media said the curfew was being imposed for one night, from 6pm local time (1500 GMT) until 8am on Thursday morning.
Men wait outside a transitional government centre to hand over small arms and security registration for former soldiers, police members, and civilians, in Damascus, on Christmas Eve. Photo: AFP/ Sameer Al-Doumy
The country's new leaders have repeatedly vowed to protect minority religious groups, who fear the former rebels now in control could seek to impose a conservative form of Islamist government.
Small demonstrations also took place in other areas on or near Syria's coast, where most of the country's Alawite minority live, including in Tartous.
The demonstrations took place around the time an undated video was circulated on social networks showing a fire inside an Alawite shrine in the city of Aleppo, with armed men walking around inside and posing near human bodies.
The interior ministry said on its official Telegram account that the video dated back to the rebel offensive on Aleppo, in late November, and the violence was carried out by unknown groups, adding whoever was circulating the video now appeared to be seeking to incite sectarian strife.
The ministry also said some members of the former regime had attacked interior ministry forces in Syria's coastal area on Wednesday, leaving a number of dead and wounded.
- Reuters