Six people were killed on Tuesday during a security operation in Syria’s central Homs province, according to a war monitor. The Syrian security forces conducted a sweep in the village of Ghour Al-Gharbiya, targeting militias loyal to the ousted president Bashar Assad, as well as drug traffickers and smugglers. The official news agency, SANA, reported the operation and stated that an arms depot and munitions linked to the former regime were discovered.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that six individuals lost their lives in the operation. Among the victims, two were armed individuals who died in clashes with the security forces, while the other four were civilians executed by local gunmen who had entered the village alongside the military. The area, close to Lebanon’s border, has historically been a stronghold for militias connected to Hezbollah, Assad’s key backer during the 14-year civil war.
The operation, which also saw the deployment of tanks, comes in the wake of a broader crackdown on those accused of supporting Assad’s regime. The Observatory further reported that dozens of individuals were arrested during the security sweep. Recent months have seen a surge in arrests and rights abuses by the new authorities, with reports of summary executions and forced evictions. Despite these actions, the new government has reassured minorities that their rights will be protected.