UPDATE- Syria regains control over areas attacked by Assad regime loyalists: Defense Ministry

UPDATES WITH DETAILS; REVISES HEADLINE

By Yusuf Alioglu and Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Syrian confirmed Saturday evening that it had regained control over areas in the northwestern coastal region that faced attacks from remnants of the deposed Assad regime.

A Defense ministry spokesperson, who was not identified, made the announcement through SANA, the official Syrian news agency.

"Forces of the Defense Ministry achieved rapid field progress, reestablishing control over areas that witnessed treacherous attacks on public security personnel," the spokesperson said.

He added: "We have executed precise encirclement operations, tightening the grip on the remaining (ex-) officers and remnants of the former regime, while our forces continue advancing in accordance with established operational plans."

"Following the directives of President Ahmad al-Sharaa, we emphasize to all field units engaged in combat zones the strict adherence to the instructions of military and security commanders to ensure operational control on the ground and the precise, disciplined execution of assigned missions."

The spokesperson underscored that “it is strictly prohibited to approach any residence or target any individual inside their home, except in line with the objectives designated by Defense Ministry officers within the operational plans.”

The Syrian Interior Ministry announced in a statement that security forces in Homs had arrested a former leader of the pro-regime National Defense Forces, accusing him of involvement in multiple massacres of civilians in the province.

The ministry stressed that the arrest is part of ongoing efforts to "pursue remnants of the former regime responsible for civilian bloodshed and bring them to justice."

The agency also confirmed that a General Security Administration patrol had been ambushed by remnants of the former regime near the city of Al-Haffa in Latakia, killing one security officer and injuring two others.

While SANA has not provided an official total death toll from these incidents, Syrian security sources told Anadolu on Friday that at least 50 people had been killed in the attacks, without specifying casualties from each side.

For the past three days, the coastal region of Syria has been in a heightened state of security tension following attacks by former regime elements on security patrols, which have resulted in the death of 11 members of the Syrian army.

Gayyas Delle, commander of part of the deposed regime forces who was involved in ambushing security forces, announced the formation of a military council to overthrow the government.

Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period on Jan. 29.