At least 48 people killed in clashes between Syrian forces and armed men loyal to Assad

While 16 security personnel were killed by Assad forces 28 armed men from Assad group were killed,according to reports.

According to reports,most of the casualties were from northwestern Idlib province and included members of the General Security Directorate and the Ministry of Defense. The security forces were ambushed in Jableh and Latakia, two cities in Latakia province, by militants allegedly backed by regional powers and remnants of the former government.

The attack marked the deadliest assault on the new administration's forces since the fall of the regime of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December last year, according to the observatory.

How ever,the Syrian Ministry of Information said that government forces had "regained control" of areas as intense fighting continues in the coastal region.

To prevent a sectarian flare-up, authorities imposed curfews in Homs and Tartus provinces as a precautionary measure. The General Security Directorate ordered a 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. lockdown in Homs and a 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. restriction in Tartus to prevent further unrest.

Large demonstrations were reported in the cities of Damascus, Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, and Homs. Crowds took to the streets to show support for the interim government and security forces,according to reports.