Syria's new authorities launched an operation in a stronghold of ousted president Bashar al-Assad on Thursday, with a war monitor saying three gunmen affiliated with the former government were killed.

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,

Syria's new rulers began an operation in western Tartous province, home to many from ousted leader Bashar Assad's Alawite sect. The killing of 14 police officers the previous day has irked the Islamist-led authorities.

Assad, Asma al-Assad, is said to be battling leukemia, with doctors giving her a '50/50' chance of survival. The 49-year-old and her husband are currently in Moscow after being forced into exile when Islamist rebels overthrew Assad's brutal regime.

The family drama surrounding fallen Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad took a new twist Thursday as his wife was reported to be facing a “50/50″ cancer battle. The Daily Telegraph of London reported that Asma al-Assad is “severely ill” from acute myeloid leukemia,

Asma Assad, the former Syrian first lady and wife of deposed President Bashar al-Assad is reportedly under medical observation after being diagnosed with leukemia. According to several media reports,