Clashes Erupt in Latakia as Syrian Forces Battle Assad Loyalists

Syrian forces loyal to the new government have engaged in deadly clashes with loyalists from the ousted Assad regime in Latakia province, resulting in multiple fatalities and escalating tensions in the region.

Syrian forces loyal to the newly established government in Damascus have found themselves embroiled in significant skirmishes with holdouts from the deposed Assad regime in Latakia province, a coastal area integral to the nation's northwest. Reports from state television indicated that at least 13 soldiers have perished due to the ongoing violence, which is close to a Russian-controlled airbase. In response to this surge in conflict, authorities have imposed a curfew that will remain effective until Friday morning.

These clashes are among the fiercest faced by forces associated with Syria's Islamist government since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December. Fighting persists in coastal locales, a region that serves as a stronghold for the Alawite community, to which Assad's family belongs. Alawite activists have voiced concerns regarding increased violence targeting their community since Assad's removal, especially in rural areas such as Homs and Latakia.

State news agency Sana reported the mobilization of "huge military reinforcements" heading to the city of Jableh amidst the turmoil. Later reports from the Syrian-based Step news agency indicated that government-aligned forces had killed approximately 70 former regime fighters, with over 25 others taken captive in and around Jableh. Meanwhile, the AFP news agency mentioned that 28 Assad loyalists were killed, drawing on accounts from monitoring groups, with claims that government forces deployed helicopters for strikes.

Colonel Hassan Abdul Ghani, a spokesman from Syria's defense ministry, delivered a stern message to Assad loyalists through state media, stating, "Thousands have chosen to surrender their weapons and return to their families, while some insist on fleeing and dying in defense of murderers and criminals. The choice is clear: lay down your weapons or face your inevitable fate."

The escalating violence in Latakia poses a significant security dilemma for interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is also managing resistance from Druze forces in Syria's southern regions. In a prior statement to the global chemical weapons watchdog, Syria's foreign minister conveyed the new government's commitment to eradicating any remaining chemical stockpiles attributed to the Assad regime. While Assad's administration denied claims of employing chemical weapons during the prolonged 14-year civil conflict, numerous activist groups have reported a series of such attacks orchestrated by the regime.