Syria’s Alawite Heartland Sees Days of Deadly Violence Between al-Assad Loyalists and Security Forces
Security forces in Syria are engaged in a second day of intense clashes with gunmen loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad in the country’s coastal region, with dozens reported killed in the violence.
Syrian authorities claim that remnants of the overthrown al-Assad regime launched a deadly and meticulously planned attack on their forces in Latakia on Thursday. The police chief of Latakia stated to Al Jazeera that the city had been secured by Friday afternoon, and a siege on military and security sites had been lifted, though clashes continued in other areas.
While authorities have not released an official death toll, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Friday that over 70 people had been killed in the fighting. Among the casualties were security personnel, gunmen, and a few civilians. Al Jazeera could not independently verify these figures.
Government forces deployed major reinforcements overnight to Latakia, Tartous, and nearby towns and villages in the Alawite heartland—a stronghold of support for al-Assad—in an effort to regain control, according to state media. A curfew was also imposed in Latakia and Tartous, set to remain in effect until Saturday.
The violence has complicated interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s efforts to consolidate power as his administration works to lift U.S. sanctions and address broader security challenges, particularly in the southwest where Israel has warned against Syrian military deployments.
Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Damascus, noted that security forces have gained “full control” of Latakia and have made advances into Tartous, positioning themselves in the city center. However, fighting continues in Banias, a town on the outskirts of Tartous, even as security forces have secured surrounding areas. Serdar emphasized that while some regions remain intense battlegrounds, the siege has been lifted in others.
Peace ‘Threatened’
Turkey, a neighboring country, warned on Friday against “provocations” in Latakia province, stating that such actions endanger peace. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that these provocations “must not be allowed to threaten the peace of Syria and our region.”
Meanwhile, Alawite activists have accused the government of targeting their community with violence and attacks since al-Assad’s fall, particularly in rural Homs and Latakia. Although al-Sharaa has promised an inclusive governance approach, no meetings have been announced between him and prominent Alawite leaders, unlike with other minority groups such as the Kurds, Christians, and Druze.
In a statement, the Alawite Islamic Council, a group of Alawite leaders, blamed the government for the violence, alleging that “military convoys were sent into the coast under the pretext of ‘regime remnants’ to terrorize and kill Syrians.” They called for the coastal region to be placed under UN protection.
Historically, members of the Alawite community held key positions in the military and security agencies under al-Assad’s rule. The new government has accused his loyalists of recent attacks against the country’s revamped security forces, further fueling tensions in the region.
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