Syria arrests 21 people linked to al-Assad, curfew imposed in port city

(Patria) - Authorities in the Syrian province of Latakia arrested 21 people linked to the rule of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday, state media reported, while a curfew was in effect in the provincial capital after sectarian violence the previous night, Al Arabiya reported.

Attacks on Monday in the predominantly Alawite neighborhoods of Latakia city occurred after three people, including a member of the security forces, were killed the day before, while thousands protested in the coastal Alawite-populated area due to a deadly mosque bombing.

State television reported that security forces in the coastal province of Latakia arrested 21 people, "remnants of the former regime involved in criminal acts, sectarian incitement, and attacks on internal security forces".

The report came after an overnight curfew came into effect until 6:00 AM on Wednesday in Latakia, a mixed city dominated by Alawites but with several Sunni neighborhoods.

Syrian authorities announced on Monday that security forces had increased their presence in Latakia.

Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba stated on Tuesday that Syria rejects "any acts of sabotage or attacks that affect the dignity of citizens or their property... and that necessary legal measures will be taken against their perpetrators".

Since the ousting of al-Assad in December last year, who is an Alawite, the minority community has been involved in repeated episodes of tension in the country with the Sunni majority, where many blame Alawites for their role in the former regime's repression of Syrians.

On Friday, eight people were killed in a mosque bombing in a predominantly Alawite area of the central Syrian city of Homs.

The militant group Saraya Ansar al-Sunna, which analysts say serves as a front for ISIS, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Hundreds of Alawites were killed in sectarian massacres in Latakia in March. The new Syrian government has repeatedly stated that it does not differentiate between Syrians based on religion or ethnicity and is committed to protecting all citizens, Al Arabiya reports.