Damascus [Syria], March 7: At least 16 members of the security forces were killed on Thursday in a string of attacks and ambushes mounted by insurgents in Syria's coastal province of Latakia, a monitoring group reported.
The attacks were the bloodiest targeting of security forces in Syria since the overthrow of long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad in December, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added.
The security chief in Latakia, Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Knefati, confirmed the attacks and blamed them on al-Assad loyalists, according to Syria's official news agency SANA.
He added that groups of al-Assad regime's remnants had carried out a well-prepared attack on security checkpoints and patrols in the Jableh area in Latakia, resulting in an unspecified number of casualties among members of the security forces.
SANA, citing a Defence Ministry source, said large military reinforcements had been dispatched to the flashpoint area to "restore stability" there. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune
