At least 10 people dead in Syria as gunmen target civilians in Tartus and Homs

The Tartous province’s general security forces are pursuing those involved “to bring them to justice,” said Amer al-Madani, Baniyas’ head of security, who spoke in a video posted on the province’s official Facebook page. Kamal, a resident of a nearby village and a relative of three victims who asked to be identified only by his first name out of fear of reprisals, said the masked gunmen, whom he believed to be government security forces, arrived at the village seeking the mukhtar, a local leader who represents the community in administrative matters, before opening fire, killing at least four people, including a 12-year-old and an 80-year-old from the same family. The attack took place in the Karm al-Zeitoun neighborhood, claiming the lives of three children and their mother, who all belonged to the Alawite sect, as well as two house guests from the Sunni community.