Violent attacks in Syria after Assad regime

Forces associated with Syria’s new leaders have been involved in intense combat with supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad in a coastal region of the nation. This is the most severe violence in Syria since the rebels overthrew Assad in December and established an Islamist interim government.

A conflict monitoring organization, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported that over 70 individuals have been killed. A curfew has been established in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, where violence has erupted. Additionally, there have been accounts of confrontations in the cities of Homs and Aleppo.

The confrontations began when military troops were attacked during a security mission in Latakia. Additional support has been dispatched. The coastal area is the center of the Alawite minority and a bastion for the Assad family, who are part of the Alawite sect. Estimates regarding the death toll from the violence differ, and the BBC has not been able to confirm them independently.

On Friday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 71 individuals had died, comprising 35 government forces, 32 fighters connected to the former regime’s army, and four civilians.

The human rights group reported that the confrontations resulted in numerous injuries. According to the organization, gunmen, including individuals from the former regime, had attacked military personnel, checkpoints, and command centers along the coast. Local armed men seized military zones, where they barricaded themselves in areas of the Latakia mountains to carry out assaults, while others took refuge in the city of Jableh.

Former regime army members have been stationed in various coastal towns and villages, while military forces have faced ambushes on highways. On Thursday night, the Syrian-based Step news agency stated that forces aligned with the government had killed “around 70” former regime fighters, and over 25 others were taken captive in Jableh and nearby regions.

The area has turned into a significant security obstacle for interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa. Alawite activists reported that their community has faced violence and assaults since Assad’s downfall, especially in rural areas of Homs and Latakia. He is encountering opposition in the south, where recent days have seen confrontations with Druze forces.

Earlier this week, Syria’s foreign minister informed the global chemical weapons authority that the new administration was dedicated to eliminating any leftover stockpiles created during Assad’s regime. Assad’s administration refuted any claims of using chemical weapons throughout the 14-year civil conflict, yet activists claimed it conducted numerous chemical assaults.