Syria Launches Security Crackdown in Tartous Following Deadly Police Attack

Syria’s new authorities launched a major security crackdown in the coastal city of Tartous on Thursday, after an attack that left 14 police officers dead, according to state media. The authorities have vowed to pursue the “remnants” of militias loyal to former president Bashar al-Assad, whom they blame for the deadly assault.
Tartous, which is home to many members of Assad’s Alawite sect, has become a flashpoint in the country’s shifting political landscape. The attack on the police marks the deadliest challenge to the new Sunni Islamist-led authorities, who have been in power since ousting Assad on December 8. The group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a coalition of Sunni Islamist factions, is now leading the charge against remnants of Assad’s regime.
The attack and subsequent crackdown have exacerbated tensions within Syria, with sectarian divisions playing a key role. On Wednesday, protests erupted in several cities, fueled by a viral video showing the burning of an Alawite shrine in Aleppo. The Alawites, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, were integral to Assad’s rule, and the incident has sparked further resentment.
Residents of Al Woroud, a predominantly Alawite and impoverished neighborhood northwest of Damascus, expressed growing anxiety as the security forces moved in. Many fear the increasing instability could lead to more violence and further marginalization of their community in a rapidly changing political environment.
The situation in Tartous and across Syria remains tense, with the security crackdown highlighting the deepening divisions between sectarian factions in the aftermath of Assad’s ousting. The conflict’s evolving nature suggests that the path to stability may be long and fraught with challenges.