Police and military forces launched a “comb operation” on Thursday in neighborhoods inhabited by religious minorities belonging to the Assad tribe in the western Syrian city of Homs. They are looking for “war criminals” and people who “refused to lay down their weapons and go to registration centers.”
The Syrian news agency SANA reported that the authorities imposed a curfew in some districts. The Ministry of the Interior urged their residents to “stay in their homes and fully cooperate with our forces.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH) reported that the operation covered districts inhabited by Alawites, the religious minority from which Assad’s clan originates. Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which was in power in Syria for 24 years, was overthrown in December.
– A tank entered our region. We heard over the loudspeakers to go away from the window and then we heard the sound of gunshots, an eyewitness told AFP. – We heard that they entered the houses, searched them, arrested young people, – he added.
“Operation comb” HomsReuters city districts
According to official sources, “refugees, ammunition and hidden weapons” were also targeted in this operation. The authorities claim that they have received information about the armed men of “Assad’s militia”, who are said to be hiding in this city. The former soldiers and officers had to report to the registration centers, hand over their weapons and “resolve their situation”, according to the authority’s request.
Rami Abdulrahman, head of the OSDH, said: “The aim of this campaign is to track down former (pro-government militia) members and those who organized or participated in last week’s Alawite protests, which the administration considered incitement against it.”
Muna Ghanem, one of the opponents of the Assad regime, warned on social networks: “What is happening today in Homs (…) threatens the unity of Syria.” “We must (…) make it clear to everyone that we will not accept the new Assad,” added the women’s rights defender.
Despite repeated assurances from the new authorities, the Alawites fear persecution both as a religious minority (an offshoot of the Shia sect, while the vast majority of Syrian Muslims are Sunni) and because of their ties to the Assad family, which has been dictatorial in Syria. for more than half a century.
READ ALSO: A message that never existed, escape from a coward, unusual memories from Iranians. The last moments of the Assad regime
Clashes with forces loyal to Assad
In recent days, there have been clashes between the Syrian government and forces loyal to the ousted President Assad. People died on both sides. In particular, fighting took place in Homs province. The new interior minister, Mohammad Abdur Rahman, threatened to “destroy anyone who dares to threaten the security of Syria or the lives of its citizens.”
On December 8, the Syrian rebels under the leadership of the Islamic organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) announced the overthrow of the Assad regime, which remained in power for the last few years mainly thanks to the help of Russia and Iran.
Main photo source: Reuters
