Khaberni - Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour Eddin Al-Baba told Al Jazeera that around 120 individuals suspected of involvement in the attacks on residents in the city of Homs in central Syria were detained.
The Syrian Interior Ministry confirmed today, Monday, that preliminary investigations into the murder of a man and his wife, which shocked the town of Zaidal east of Homs, indicate that the motive was entirely criminal, not sectarian as some tried to imply by writing slogans with a sectarian nature at the crime scene.
Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour Eddin Al-Baba, in a press conference in Homs, stated that those who wrote the slogans wanted to cover up their crime and turn it into a conflict, affirming that there is no physical evidence suggesting a sectarian nature to the incident.
Al-Baba added that the phrases found at the site were placed with the intent to mislead, asserting that the resolution of the crime's circumstances is imminent, urging Homs residents to "awareness and wisdom," and expressed gratitude to the community leaders and Arab tribes "who stood against tampering and stirring up strife."
In the meantime, the Commander of Internal Security in Homs, Brigadier Marhef Al-Naasan, visited the relatives of the victims Abdullah Al-Abboud Al-Nasser and his wife, confirming that the specialized agencies are closely following the investigations and have taken all necessary legal measures to ensure the murderers are held accountable and to prevent such incidents from recurring.
For his part, Homs Police Chief Colonel Bilal Al-Aswad confirmed that the security situation in the city is stable and calm after the deployment of security and army units in districts that experienced tension on Sunday night.
He added, "All evidence indicates that the crime was criminal, not sectarian or motivated by revenge," referring to the execution of arrests related to recent events.
The authorities had imposed a nighttime curfew in several neighborhoods of Homs, which was extended until Monday evening, following sporadic gunfire and acts of vandalism before life gradually returned to normal. The Directorate of Education also suspended school activities in the city for one day to ensure safety.
