HOMS, Syria / ANKARA

Syria’s Military Operations Command, which overthrew the country's former Baath regime, has launched a “security operation” in central Homs province, the Syrian state news agency (SANA) reported on Thursday.

The Interior Ministry, in collaboration with the Military Operations Department, has launched a large-scale operation in the city's neighborhoods against soldiers from Bashar al-Assad's collapsed regime who refused to hand over their weapons, SANA reported, citing a security official.

Residents of the Wadi al-Dhahab and Akrama neighborhoods, where security sweeps are currently underway, have been advised to stay indoors.

The Military Operations Command previously carried out similar large-scale operations in Tartus and Latakia provinces.

After the Baath regime’s collapse on Dec. 8, the Military Operations Command issued a general amnesty and set up reconciliation centers in several provinces.

These centers urged former regime elements to surrender their weapons within a designated timeframe.