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Clashes between the Islamists who took over Syria and supporters of the deposed president Bashar Assad The government killed two Islamic fighters and wounded others on Wednesday, according to interim officials.
Details of how the fight broke out and who instigated the conflict were not immediately known. Interim officials in Syria said two fighters were killed from Hayat Tahrir al-Shamor HTS, which led the stunning offensive that ousted Assad earlier this month.
The transition in Syria has been surprisingly smooth, but it’s only been a few weeks since Assad fled the country and his administration and forces have dissolved. The rebels who ousted Assad are rooted in fundamentalist Islamist ideology, and while they have promised to create a pluralist system, it is unclear how or if they plan to share power.
Since Assad’s fall, dozens of Syrians have been killed in acts of revenge, according to activists and observers, the vast majority of them from the minority Alawite community, the branch of Shiite Islam to which Assad belongs.
In the capital Damascus, Alawite protesters clashed with Sunni counter-protesters and gunfire was heard. The Associated Press could not confirm details of the shooting.
Alawite protests were also held along the coast of Syria, in the city of Homs and the village of Hama. Some have called for the release of former Syrian army soldiers now detained by HTS.
The Alawite protests were apparently sparked in part by an online video showing the burning of an Alawite shrine. Provisional authorities insist that the video is old and not a recent incident.
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Sectarian violence has erupted in spurts since Assad’s ouster, but nowhere near the levels feared after nearly 14 years of civil war that has killed an estimated half a million people. The war has torn Syria apart, creating millions of refugees and displacing tens of thousands across the country.
This week, some Syrians who were forcibly displaced began returning home, trying to rebuild their lives. Shocked by the destruction, many found that little remained of their homes.
In the northwestern region of Idlib, residents repaired shops and sealed damaged windows on Tuesday, trying to restore a sense of normalcy.
The city of Idlib and much of the surrounding province has been under the control of HTS for years, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, once linked to al-Qaida, but has been the scene of relentless attacks by government forces.
Hajjah Zakia Daemessaid, who was forcibly displaced during the war, said returning to her home in Idlib province was bittersweet.
“My husband and I spent 43 years of hard work saving money to build our home, only to find out it was all for naught,” said the 62-year-old.
In the dusty neighborhoods, cars passed by with luggage strapped to the top. People stood idly on the streets or sat in empty cafes.
In Damascus, the new Syrian authorities raided warehouses on Wednesday, seizing drugs such as Captagon and cannabis, which were used by Assad’s forces. One million Captagon pills and hundreds of kilograms (pounds) of cannabis were set on fire, interim authorities said.
Albam reported from Damascus, Syria, and Alsayed from Idlib, Syria.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
