Damascus, Jan 25 Syrian security officials have arrested dozens of fighters following reports of widespread abuses in the central Homs province, a war monitor reported.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the arrests come amid mounting efforts to stem sectarian tensions and restore stability in territories once held by pro-regime elements before the downfall of the government of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Military Operations Administration, under Syria's new leadership, reportedly apprehended members of factions involved in security operations in northern and western Homs, the Observatory said.
The detained fighters face accusations of carrying out summary executions and harassing minority communities in several villages.
Meanwhile, the state-run Al-Thwara online newspaper cited officials in Homs as denouncing what happened in the village of Maryamin, calling the abuses an "unacceptable affront to religious beliefs and sacred sites." Officials accused a "criminal group" of taking advantage of a security vacuum to commit violations against local residents.
Authorities say they have already arrested several suspects and referred them to the judiciary, with investigations ongoing to identify all those involved, according to the newspaper report.
"We affirm our commitment to restoring rights to their rightful owners and compensating those harmed by these transgressions," the Homs governor's office was cited by Al-Thawra as stating, pledging to form a specialized committee to assess damages and ensure a transparent compensation process.
Governor Abdul Rahman al-Ama, accompanied by the regional police chief and other provincial officials, visited Maryamin to hear residents' concerns and promise tighter security measures.
The new interim government has repeatedly stressed it would confront any acts of sectarian violence with equal vigor to safeguard communal harmony.
In a separate development, the Observatory noted a withdrawal of certain foreign fighters from coastal areas on Friday, an apparent bid to ease tensions after repeated complaints of harassment and intimidation targeting religious minorities.
The clampdown on rogue armed elements is part of the new government's efforts to consolidate control, unify security forces, and prevent the region from sliding into sectarian conflict.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor