A fierce ambush on a Syrian security patrol by gunmen affiliated with ousted leader Bashar Assad has erupted into a series of clashes, resulting in the deaths of over 1,000 individuals over a span of four days, according to estimates by a war monitor.
The ambush, which occurred near Latakia, a prominent port city, has reignited the long-standing wounds from Syria’s 13-year civil war, marking the country’s most intense violence since December. This was a time when insurgents, led by the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), overthrew Assad.
The subsequent counteroffensive launched against Assad loyalists in the predominantly Alawite coastal region has inflicted chaos across various cities and towns. Reports from rights organizations indicate that dozens of Alawites, a minority sect, have been targeted in revenge killings by Sunni militants, regardless of their involvement in the insurgency.
The resurgence of violence has deep roots. Sectarian tensions have simmered since Assad’s fall, with Alawites—who previously dominated Syrian leadership under the Assad regime—facing attacks. Despite assurances from Syria’s interim president about inclusive governance plans, the assaults persisted.
During the ambush, pro-Assad Alawite gunmen overpowered government forces and seized Qardaha, Assad’s hometown, necessitating urgent reinforcements from Damascus.
The Syrian Defense Ministry spokesperson, Col. Hassan Abdel-Ghani, stated that security personnel have regained control of the area and are actively pursuing insurgency leaders. Yet, even as authorities called for the cessation of sectarian incitements, the clashes claimed numerous civilian lives.
Most victims of the violence reportedly belong to the Alawite community, largely concentrated in the coastal province, including Latakia and Tartous. Rights groups estimate several hundred civilian casualties. Under Assad, the Alawite sect emerged from Shia Islam and formed a crucial support base in a nation dominated by Sunnis.
Assad’s rule over Syria is perceived by critics as having favored the Alawite community. As the civil war progressed, militant factions characterized Alawites as affiliates of Assad and allied forces like Russia and Iran. Now under Sunni Islamist governance, Syria’s interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, previously a leader in HTS, has promised a political future representing Syria’s diverse religious and ethnic groups. However, many remain skeptical of achieving such inclusivity.
Details regarding the Alawite insurgency, comprised of remnants of Assad’s military and intelligence, remain scarce. Questions also linger over their foreign support. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a total of 745 civilian deaths, primarily from shootings, alongside 125 security force members and 148 pro-Assad militants. Essential services like electricity and water were severed in vast areas surrounding Latakia.
Additionally, the Syria Campaign and Syrian Network for Human Rights accused both security forces and pro-Assad gunmen of committing mass and systematic killings. The SNHR estimated 100 security force fatalities happened on Thursday, with 125 out of 140 civilian fatalities occurring over the weekend in what they suspect as revenge killings.
Although The Associated Press could not independently verify these figures, differing death tolls during Syria’s numerous attacks are common. Two local residents reported Alawite homes were looted and set ablaze, speaking anonymously due to safety concerns.
Damascus has attributed the violence to “individual actions” and maintains that its forces are merely responding to pro-Assad gunmen. Post-clash, Damascus has struggled to address grievances with skeptics of its Islamist governance, Kurdish-led authorities in the northeast, and the Druze minority in the south.
President Al-Sharaa has reached out to the international community, urging the lifting of sanctions to foster economic revival, a step he sees as vital to lifting millions out of poverty. However, Western nations fear lifting sanctions too soon might allow authoritarian governance to remain.
Al-Sharaa issued an appeal over the weekend for accountability in civilian harm and prisoner mistreatment. Blaming ex-government remnants and certain foreign supporters for the violence, he has created a predominantly judicial committee to investigate these events.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also released a statement urging for the perpetrators to face justice, emphasizing U.S. solidarity with Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities.
