Security Forces Confront Armed Group in Latakia, Launch Anti-ISIS Sweep in Aleppo

Security deployment and curfew in Homs (SANA)

Several regions in western, northern, and central Syria have recently witnessed simultaneous security incidents.

In Latakia Province, government forces clashed with an armed group described as “outlaws” in the coastal town of Al-Badrousiyah on Monday, while in northern Aleppo, security units launched a targeted campaign in Afrin against suspected cells belonging to ISIS. Meanwhile, the city of Homs remained tense under extended curfew hours following a day of unrest.

Residents in Latakia told Asharq Al-Awsat that security units stormed a seaside hotel where a group of armed men had barricaded themselves after forcibly seizing the property weeks earlier. The authorities were attempting to enforce an evacuation order when the group opened fire, triggering clashes that led to deaths and injuries.

A Syrian security source confirmed to state broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya that internal security units “eliminated several wanted outlaws” during the operation and were pursuing the remaining suspects.

In northern Aleppo, the Interior Ministry announced the launch of a joint operation in Afrin involving internal security forces and the General Intelligence Directorate. The operation targeted “ISIS hideouts and terrorist cells involved in hostile actions threatening public safety and stability,” according to a ministry statement.

In central Syria, authorities extended a curfew in parts of Homs after violence and vandalism swept through several neighborhoods on Sunday. Residents described a “very difficult day” marked by panic and rumors spreading rapidly on social media, raising growing fear among civilians, particularly women and children.

Sources confirmed cases of injury due to random gunfire but denied reports of deaths. Syrian state media reported a return to relative calm, with police and army units allowing limited movement so that residents could secure basic supplies.

In response to public outrage over a recent brutal crime in the nearby town of Zaidal, the victims’ families issued a statement rejecting any attempt to turn the incident into a sectarian conflict.

They emphasized their commitment to legal procedures and warned against fueling discord, urging tribal members, especially from the Bani Khaled clan, not to be swayed by incitement.

The families also distanced themselves from the riots in Homs, saying the violence “does not represent the Bani Khaled tribe.”

Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddin al-Baba denied that the Zaidal crime had a sectarian motive, saying there was “no material evidence” to support such claims.

He added that preliminary investigations showed sectarian slogans at the scene were meant “to mislead and inflame tensions,” asserting that evidence points to a criminal, not sectarian, motive.

Security forces and army units have since reinforced deployments, set up checkpoints, and increased patrols to restore order and prevent further escalation.