Syria Is Being Rocked By Its Worst Violence Since It Was Freed, With Over 1,000 People Killed In Two Days
The clashes first began after gunmen loyal to Assad ambushed government security forces when they were conducting an operation in the coastal region of Latakia.
In the worst violence in Syria since rebels toppled Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, more than 1018 people have been killed and many others injured in clashes between pro-Assad gunmen and the new government’s security forces.
The clashes first began after gunmen loyal to Assad ambushed government security forces when they were conducting an operation in the coastal region of Latakia on Thursday, March 6, according to Al Jazeera.
The pro-Assad fighters attacked security patrols and checkpoints in the Jableh area, killing at least 15 security personnel, a Syrian security office told Al Jazeera Arabic.
The government sent major reinforcement overnight to Latakia and Tartous and nearby towns and villages.
Latakia’s police chief told Al Jazeera that security forces had secured Latakia on Friday afternoon.
Al Jazeera reported that security forces had “broken” into Tartous and secured other surrounding areas but fighting was still continuing in Banias, another town in the outskirts of Tartous.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday, March 9 that 1018 people had been killed, including 745 civilians, 125 members of government forces and 148 gunmen affiliated to the former regime's army.
A curfew has been announced in Latakia and Tartous until Saturday to control the situation.
Since December, many Assad loyalists have regrouped in Latakia, which is the heartland of the Alawite minority sect that the Assad's family belongs to.
There have been rising tensions and unrest in the area as the new government under interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa seeks to consolidate control of the country while being inclusive of different minority groups and sects.
Al-Sharaa vowed to hold accountable those responsible for the deaths of government security personnel and called on security forces not to use force on civilians.
He also said the government is forming an independent committee to investigate how the violence began and those responsible for the civilian casualties.
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Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
