Clashes between Islamists who have seized power Syria and supporters of the ousted president Bashar al-Assad The government killed two Islamic militants and wounded others on Wednesday, according to interim officials.
The details of how the fighting broke out and who initiated the confrontation were not immediately known. Interim officials in Syria said two fighters were killed Hayat Tahrir al-Shamor HTS, which led the stunning offensive that toppled Assad earlier this month.
The transition in Syria has been surprisingly smooth, but it has only been a few weeks since Assad fled the country and his government and forces have melted away. The insurgents who toppled Assad have their roots in fundamentalist Islamist ideology, and while they have vowed to create a pluralist system, it is not clear how or whether they will share power.
According to activists and observers, dozens of Syrians have been killed in revenge since Assad’s fall, the vast majority of them from the Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shiite Islam to which Assad belongs.
In the capital Damascus, Alawite demonstrators scuffled with Sunni counter-demonstrators and shots were heard. The Associated Press could not confirm details of the shooting.
Alawite protests also took place along Syria’s coast, in the city of Homs and in the surrounding areas of Hama. Some called for the release of former Syrian army soldiers now detained by the HTS.
The Alawite protests were apparently sparked in part by an online video showing the burning of an Alawite shrine. Interim authorities insisted the video was old and not a recent incident.
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Sectarian violence has erupted in spurts since Assad’s fall, but not nearly as severe as feared after nearly 14 years of civil war in which an estimated half a million people have died. The war has splintered Syria, creating millions of refugees and displacing tens of thousands across the country.
This week, some forcibly displaced Syrians began streaming home and trying to rebuild their lives. Many were shocked by the devastation and found only a few remains of their homes.
In the northwestern Idlib region, residents repaired shops and sealed damaged windows on Tuesday to restore a sense of normality.
The city of Idlib and much of the surrounding province has been under the control of the HTS for years under the leadership of Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, once allied with al-Qaeda but a recurring scene of relentless violence is attacks by government troops.
Hajjah Zakia Daemessaid, who was forcibly displaced during the war, said returning to her home in the Idlib countryside was bittersweet.
“My husband and I worked hard for 43 years to save money to build our home, only to realize it was all wasted,” the 62-year-old said.
In the dusty neighborhoods, cars drove by with luggage strapped to them. People stood idle on the streets or sat in empty cafes.
In Damascus, new Syrian authorities raided warehouses on Wednesday and seized drugs such as Captagon and cannabis used by Assad’s troops. One million Captagon pills and hundreds of kilograms of cannabis were set on fire, preliminary authorities said.
Albam reported from Damascus, Syria, and Alsayed reported from Idlib, Syria.
&Copy 2024 The Canadian Press
