Security forces in Syria have engaged in heavy fighting against loyalists of deposed President Bashar al-Assad in a coastal area of the country. This marks the worst violence in Syria since rebels overthrew Assad in December and established an Islamist transitional government.
According to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 70 people have been killed in the clashes. In response to the violence, a curfew has been imposed in the cities of Latakia and Tartous, where the fighting has erupted.
BBC Verify confirmed the location of two videos posted online that showed gunmen firing repeatedly at a building, igniting a fire inside, in the city of Homs on Thursday evening. Two other verified videos depict a body being dragged behind a car in Latakia.
The coastal region is a stronghold for the Alawite minority and the Assad family, who are members of this sect. Estimates of the death toll from the violence vary, and the BBC has been unable to verify these figures independently.
On Friday, the Syrian Observatory reported that 71 people had been killed, including 35 members of government forces, 32 fighters affiliated with the former regime's army, and four civilians. The clashes have also left many others injured, according to the human rights group.
Gunmen, some affiliated with the former regime, ambushed military forces, checkpoints, and headquarters along the coastline, according to reports from the organization. One Sunni civilian witness described the attack as "planned and prepared." Another witness told BBC Arabic that the indiscriminate firing at everyone, including paramedics, resembled actions from the previous Assad regime.
"They showed no mercy, so we oppose any violence against civilians on the Syrian coast who are not involved in this unrest. They are all civilians, and they feel like family to us," the witness explained.
An Alawite resident stated that many people in Syria are "scared," whether they are on the coast or in the capital. Speaking to the BBC, she added that "everyone is terrified by the current incitement" and fears they will become "scapegoats."
Local gunmen have taken control of military zones and are holed up in the Latakia mountains to launch attacks, while others have secured positions in Jableh city. Members of the former regime's army have been deployed in several coastal towns and villages, and military forces have faced ambushes on highways.
Late on Thursday, the Syrian-based Step news agency reported that government-aligned forces had killed approximately 70 former regime fighters and captured more than 25 others in Jableh and surrounding areas.
A spokesman for Syria's defense ministry, Colonel Hassan Abdul Ghani, issued a warning to Assad loyalists fighting in Latakia via state media. "Thousands have chosen to surrender their weapons and return to their families, while some insist on fleeing and dying in defense of murderers and criminals. The choice is clear: lay down your weapons or face your inevitable fate," he said.
The region has become a major security challenge for interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa. Alawite activists have reported that their community has been subjected to violence and attacks since Assad's fall, particularly in rural Homs and Latakia.
Additionally, he is facing resistance in the south, where there have been recent clashes with Druze forces. Earlier this week, Syria's foreign minister informed the global chemical weapons watchdog that the new government is committed to destroying any remaining stockpiles produced under Assad. Although Assad's government has denied ever using chemical weapons during the 14-year civil war, activists have accused it of carrying out dozens of chemical attacks.
bbc
ads
