A Britain-based group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, has documented assaults on Alawite civilians, often by unidentified gunmen. Despite fresh promises from Syria’s new rulers to bring all armed factions under state control, safety concerns persist due to a section of Syrians seeking retribution.

Whom are the Assad loyalists arming themselves?

Currently, there doesn’t seem to be a single cohesive group orchestrating the attacks on Syria’s western coast. Instead, the violence is mainly associated with small groups of Assad loyalists, as indicated by the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War.

The Thursday attacks on security personnel marked the “first instance where pro-Assad loyalist action demonstrated clear coordination and advance planning,” according to Charles Lister, the director of the Syria and counterterrorism programs at the Middle East Institute.

On Thursday, as security forces came under fire, a group identifying itself as the “Military Council for the Liberation of Syria” declared its aim to overthrow the nation’s new leadership. The announcement arrived with the endorsement of a former general in the elite Fourth Division of Assad’s regime, led by Mr. al-Assad’s brother Maher al-Assad.

While it’s unclear if the former general, Gaith Dalah, personally established this military council or if the group is claiming him as their leader, similar declarations have been made by various other pro-Assad armed groups post-government collapse.

Recently, these groups have released videos of gunmen advocating for the toppling of Syria’s new leadership and have taken responsibility for attacks against security forces on their social media. These videos, however, have not been independently verified by The New York Times.

Anas Khattab, the new head of Syria’s intelligence services, stated on Friday that former Assad regime military leaders were instigating the violence, with undisclosed “fugitives” outside the country lending support.

How have Syria’s new government and its allies reacted?

The government has increased security presence in the coastal region to reestablish order. Syria’s state-run news agency, SANA, posted images of armored vehicles being deployed in coastal towns. Curfews have been extended in violence-affected cities like Latakia and Tartus, with SANA reporting that home-bound residents are facing “combing operations” to flush out armed remnants of the Assad government.

Col. Hassan Abdul Ghani, a spokesman for the Syrian Ministry of Defense, stated: “The choice is clear: surrender your weapons or face your certain fate.” He also noted that while thousands of militants have surrendered their weapons, others continue to fight.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/world/europe/syria-coast-clashes-assad.html