DAMASCUS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen officers from Syria's interim Ministry of Interior were killed and ten others injured in a "treacherous ambush" in the northwestern province of Tartus on Wednesday, the interim government's Interior Minister Mohammed Abdul Rahman announced.

Cited by local Al-Watan newspaper, the minister described the attackers as "remnants" of the former government.

The ministry said the slain officers were carrying out duties aimed at maintaining security and protecting civilians.

No further details were provided.

Following the recent collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria earlier this month, several high-profile incidents have heightened sectarian tensions across the country.

On Wednesday, a video circulated depicting an alleged attack on a shrine revered by Alawite worshipers in Aleppo sparked protests and calls for accountability.

Demonstrations also erupted in several predominantly Alawite areas, with community members voicing concerns that the new authorities were not doing enough to protect their religious symbols.

Meanwhile, security officials insisted such events were isolated and warned that remnants of the former government might exploit sectarian fault lines to sow discord. Enditem

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