New Syrian regime conducting operations to weed out former officials
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The Military Operations Directorate in Syria launches a wide-scale sweep operation in Latakia and Banias to "pursue armed elements affiliated with the former regime."
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A member of the security forces of the newly formed Syrian government stands on guard at a security checkpoint on the Syrian border with Lebanon, on December 27, 2024 (AP)
Syria's newly established Military Operations Directorate and the Ministry of Interior announced a large-scale sweep in the city of Latakia to track down armed elements loyal to the former regime, aiming to "restore security and stability".
According to the Syrian state news agency, the operation was launched following reports from residents about the presence of armed groups in the Sitmarkho area near Latakia. The operation's objective is "to ensure the safety and security of the local population."
In the coastal city of Banias, Tartus Governorate, General Security Administration forces were deployed to also "maintain safety, achieve stability, and pursue pro-former-regime elements."
Meanwhile, "settlement centers" in rural Idlib continue to receive individuals associated with the former regime seeking to regularize their status to avoid legal accountability and prosecution.
Additionally, the new Syrian administration announced the arrest of former military judiciary chief Mohammad Kanjo al-Hassan last Thursday. Reports indicate that al-Hassan was one of the "key figures responsible for executions in Sednaya Prison," according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
17 killed in Tartus
A Syria conflict monitoring group reported that 17 people were killed on Wednesday in clashes in Tartus province, following an attempt by security forces to arrest an officer, who served under the government of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, who was allegedly associated with the notorious Saydnaya prison.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that "14 members of the General Security force" under Syria's new authorities were killed, along with "three armed men" in Khirbet al-Maaza, bringing the death toll up from an earlier count of nine.
The Observatory added that the forces were attempting to arrest an officer who was among "those responsible for the crimes at Saydnaya prison."
New Interior Minister Mohammed Abdel Rahman stated that "14 interior ministry personnel were killed and 10 others wounded after... a treacherous ambush by remnants of the criminal regime" in Tartus province, while they were carrying out their duties to maintain security and safety.
Security operation launched in Tartus countryside
The Military Operations Department in Syria, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, launched an operation aimed at "restoring security, stability, and civil peace, as well as targeting" groups linked to the former regime in the forests and hills of the Tartus Governorate, according to reports from the SANA news agency on Thursday.
SANA further reported that during the operation, the Military Operations Department successfully neutralized several groups and individuals linked to the former regime, while continuing to pursue others.
A security source in the Syrian caretaker government confirmed the establishment of a security cordon around the neighborhoods that saw unrest on Wednesday. The source also announced the identification of a list containing individuals wanted by the former regime, who had opened fire on the police.
The source explained that the list includes officers from the former regime's apparatuses "who failed to come forward to resolve their status." That said, a 4-day deadline has also been set for these individuals to surrender themselves and their weapons.
Additionally, a security source in the Syrian Ministry of Defense told Syrian media outlets that a campaign had been launched in areas of the Damascus countryside to "seize illegal weapons and arrest those inciting sedition," he stated.
