DAMASCUS, Dec 25 - Syrian police have enforced an overnight curfew in the city of Homs following unrest reportedly linked to demonstrations led by members of the Alawite and Shi'ite Muslim communities. The curfew, announced by state media, is effective from 6 PM local time until 8 AM the next morning.
Residents have indicated that the protests are associated with recent violence and pressure directed at the Alawite minority, a group historically loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted by Sunni Islamist rebels on December 8.
Demonstrations were also reported in other coastal areas, including Tartous, where a significant population of the Alawite community resides. Tensions escalated following the circulation of a video showing a fire inside an Alawite shrine in Aleppo, featuring armed individuals in the vicinity of human remains. The interior ministry stated that the video originates from a rebel offensive in late November and accused those sharing it of inciting sectarian conflict.
Additionally, clashes occurred in Syria's coastal region on Wednesday, resulting in casualties among former regime members and interior ministry forces. The new ruling administration, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, has pledged to safeguard minority groups amid fears of a conservative Islamist governance.