Syrian police imposed a nighttime curfew in the city of Homs, state media reported, following unrest linked to demonstrations that residents said were led by members of the minority Alawite and Shiite religious communities.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the protesters’ demands or the degree of disruption that occurred.
Some residents said the demonstrations were linked to pressure and violence in recent days targeting members of the Alawite minority, a sect long seen as loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown by Sunni Islamist rebels on December 8. .
Spokespeople for Syria’s new ruling administration led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, a former al Qaeda affiliate, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the curfew.
State media said the curfew was being imposed for one night from 6pm local time until 8am on Thursday morning.
The country’s new leaders have repeatedly vowed to protect minority religious groups, who fear former rebels now in control of power might try to impose a conservative form of Islamic government.
Small demonstrations also took place in other areas on or near the Syrian coast, where the majority of the country’s Alawite minority live, including the city of Tartous.
The demonstrations came at a time when an undated video circulated on social media showing a fire inside an Alawite shrine in the city of Aleppo, with armed men walking around inside and posing near human bodies.
The Interior Ministry said on its official Telegram account that the video dates back to the rebel offensive in Aleppo in late November and that the violence was carried out by unknown groups, adding that whoever was circulating the video now appeared to be trying to incite sectarian conflict.
The ministry also said that some members of the former regime attacked Interior Ministry forces in Syria’s coastal area on Wednesday, leaving several people dead and injured.
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This content was originally published in Syrian police impose curfew in Homs after demonstrations on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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