At least 17 people were killed Wednesday in Syria’s Tartus province during clashes between security forces under the country’s new leadership and remnants of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The violence occurred as security forces attempted to arrest an officer connected to the infamous Saydnaya prison, known for its history of torture and extrajudicial executions.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 14 members of Syria’s General Security force were killed, along with three armed men in Khirbet al-Maaza. The initial death toll of nine was later revised. The clash ensued when security forces sought to apprehend Mohammed Kanjo Hassan, a former regime officer linked to numerous human rights abuses.
The Observatory stated that Hassan held positions as the director of the military justice department and the chief of a field court, where he issued death sentences and arbitrary judgments. The conflict in Tartus began after some local residents resisted security searches, and the officer’s brother, along with armed supporters, ambushed security forces near the village.
New Interior Minister Mohammed Abdel Rahman confirmed the incident, describing it as a “treacherous ambush by remnants of the criminal regime,” which resulted in the deaths of 14 Interior Ministry personnel and injuries to 10 others. The clash highlights ongoing tensions as remnants of Assad’s regime continue to resist the new authorities following the ousting of Assad this month by rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
The Saydnaya prison, where tens of thousands of prisoners suffered torture and forced disappearances, remains a symbol of the brutal crackdown by the Assad regime on dissent. The fate of thousands of missing persons from the conflict is one of the most enduring legacies of Syria’s civil war.
