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Syrian fighters and civilians carry the coffin of a member of the Syrian security forces during his funeral in Hama province after he and 11 other colleagues were killed in an ambush by groups loyal to the ousted President Bashar al-Assad in Latakia.
Sectarian violence erupts in Syria – in former Assad stronghold
The fighting started when some of Assad’s supporters — many of whom now feel under threat in this new Syria — ambushed a government security patrol near Latakia, prompting reprisals from Sunni militants in the Alawite heartland. New leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, whose Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized power just three months ago, urged combatants to drop their weapons.
“We find ourselves facing a new danger — attempts by remnants of the former regime and their foreign backers to incite new strife and drag our country into a civil war,” al-Sharaa said Sunday, amid reports that foreign fighters were involved. Government forces said they have restored control of the coastal region.
The long and winding road to peace: It was just three months ago when al-Sharaa’s forces swept into power, ending Assad’s reign of terror. The interim leader has since tried to promote peace and national unity – even visiting Latakia last month, where he appeared to receive a hero’s welcome. But real progress will depend on al-Shaara’s ability to provide inclusive governance and enforce the rule of law to address the causes of sectarian tensions.