An ambush in Syria by suspected loyalists to deposed President Bashar al-Assad killed as many as 20 members of Syria's new security force in the west of the country Thursday, officials said.

Forces loyal to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad killed 14 police members and wounded 10 others, according to the caretaker government, as the country experiences its worst violence since the autocrat’s toppling early this month.

DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Fourteen members of the Syrian police were killed in an "ambush" by forces loyal to the ousted government in the Tartous countryside, the transitional administration said early on Thursday,

At least 14 law enforcement personnel were killed in western Syria overnight in an “ambush” by the former forces of deposed leader Bashar al-Assad, the interior ministry said on Thursday, in an indication of challenges for the country’s new government.

An ‘ambush’ by forces loyal to ousted president Bashar al-Assad has killed 14 members of the Syrian police in western Syria, the transitional administration said Thursday. Syria's new interior minister said on Telegram that 10 police members were also wounded by what he called ‘remnants’ of al-Assad’s government in Tartous.

An overnight curfew was imposed by Syria’s ruling Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group after 14 members of the Syria’s interior ministry were killed in what they described as an ambush by supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria's new rebel-led authorities say supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad have killed 14 interior ministry troops in an "ambush" in the west of the country. They say 10 other troops were wounded in the fighting on Tuesday near the Mediterranean port of Tartous,