Worst Violence in Syria Since Assad's Fall as Clashes Leave Dozens Dead
Security forces of Syria’s new rulers engage in intense fighting with Assad loyalists in the coastal region, leading to heavy casualties.
Syria is experiencing its deadliest violence since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December, as Islamist transitional government forces battle fighters loyal to the former president in coastal strongholds.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that over 70 people have been killed in the clashes. A curfew has been imposed in the cities of Latakia and Tartous, where the fighting is most intense.
Verified footage analyzed by BBC Verify confirms the location of two videos showing armed men shooting at a building in Homs, setting it ablaze on Thursday evening. Additional videos depict a body being dragged behind a car in Latakia.
The coastal region, historically an Alawite stronghold and the Assad family’s heartland, has become a focal point of conflict. Estimates of the death toll vary, and independent verification remains challenging. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Friday’s casualties included 35 members of government forces, 32 former regime fighters, and four civilians. Many others were injured as gunmen, some affiliated with Assad’s former regime, launched attacks on military checkpoints and strongholds along the coast.
Witnesses have described the attacks as calculated and ruthless. A Sunni civilian described the assault as "planned and prepared," while another told BBC Arabic that indiscriminate fire targeted everyone, including paramedics. "They had no mercy," the witness said, condemning the violence against civilians. An Alawite woman speaking to the BBC shared widespread fears among her community, saying, "Everyone is terrified by the current incitement. We fear becoming scapegoats."
Local gunmen have seized military zones in the Latakia mountains, using them as bases for their operations. Meanwhile, remnants of Assad’s former regime forces have mobilized in various coastal towns and villages, ambushing military convoys on highways.
On Thursday night, Syria-based Step news agency reported that government forces had killed approximately 70 former regime fighters and captured over 25 others in Jableh and surrounding areas.
Syria’s Defence Ministry spokesman, Colonel Hassan Abdul Ghani, addressed Assad loyalists through state media, warning them to surrender. "Thousands have laid down their weapons and returned to their families. Those who refuse will face their inevitable fate," he declared.
The escalating violence poses a significant security challenge for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Alawite activists claim their community has suffered targeted attacks since Assad’s downfall, particularly in rural Homs and Latakia. Resistance is also growing in the south, where clashes have erupted with Druze forces.
Meanwhile, Syria’s foreign minister assured the international chemical weapons watchdog that the new government remains committed to dismantling all stockpiles produced under Assad’s rule. Although the former regime denied ever using chemical weapons, activists have accused it of numerous chemical attacks throughout the 14-year civil war.
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