DAMASCUS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Violent clashes erupted Wednesday between local armed residents and security personnel from the military coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in northwestern Syria's Tartus province, a Britain-based war monitor reported.

The fighting started in the village of Kharbet al-Ma'zza when locals opposed home inspections by the security forces, prompting armed residents to set fire to a vehicle belonging to the HTS, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

There were casualties on both sides, it said, adding that the military coalition dispatched reinforcements, including a specialized division and ambulances, as clashes continued.

A large convoy comprising fighters from Unit 82, K9 squads of the military coalition headed to the region near the Latakia province, it said, adding that Syria's new authorities aim to apprehend the armed locals they describe as "remnants of the previous regime" and to prevent any sectarian unrest in the demographically diverse area.

The military coalition took control over capital Damascus and most parts of Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government on Dec. 8. Enditem

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