Several interior ministry personnel were killed in a clash as they went to arrest an officer of the ousted Assad regime. Meanwhile Alawites across the nation protested the decimation of a holy shrine.

The new Syrian government has vowed to pursue forces loyal to the ousted Assad government in their stronghold of Tartus, raising fears of sectarian tensions

Syria's new rulers began an operation in western Tartous province, home to many from ousted leader Bashar Assad's Alawite sect. The killing of 14 police officers the previous day has irked the Islamist-led authorities.

Militias loyal to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which let the revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said they were heading to the Syrian coastal cities of Tartous and Latakia, historically loyal to the Assad regime.