Escalating Violence in Latakia and Tartous Leads to Hundreds of Deaths
In a statement on Sunday morning, al-Sharaa emphasized the importance of maintaining national unity and domestic tranquility, urging for communal harmony amid clashes between newly appointed forces and fighters from the ousted President Bashar al-Assad’s Alawite sect.
The violence erupted following coordinated assaults by pro-Assad forces on security personnel this Thursday. This chain of events escalated into cycles of retaliation as thousands of armed supporters of Syria’s new leadership arrived to reinforce the security forces in the coastal areas.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based conflict monitoring group, approximately 745 Alawite civilians and about 125 security force members have been killed in Latakia and Tartous since Thursday, while 148 pro-Assad fighters have also lost their lives, bringing the aggregate death toll to 1,018. Al Jazeera has been unable to independently confirm these figures.
In a video message from a Damascus mosque, al-Sharaa expressed confidence in Syria’s ability to endure, categorizing current events as expected challenges. Al-Sharaa has also declared that those targeting civilians will be held accountable.
Per Syria’s state-run news agency SANA, there were reports of intense clashes near the village of Betannita in Tartous countryside, with the Ministry of Defence indicating that “war criminals” and armed groups affiliated with the al-Assad regime were retreating to the area.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Damascus, Resul Serdar, described the situation as a reflection of deep-seated divisions within Syria, despite al-Sharaa’s calls for unity. Serdar noted that images of the violence are emerging, revealing a high death toll, though the exact number remains challenging to ascertain.
Serdar further highlighted the composition of the new cabinet, mentioning the inclusion of Alawites, Kurds, Turkmen, Arabs, Sunni, Shia, Muslims, and Christians, deeming this diversity crucial for the nation. On a separate note, a recent attack on telecommunications infrastructure resulted in the disruption of services in Deraa and Sweida governorates, according to Ahmad al-Hariri, Director of Deraa Telecom’s Branch, due to repeated attacks on vital communication lines.
