Fighting continues in Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus following massacres in which hundreds of Alawite civilians were killed.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Saturday evening that, since Thursday, more than 500 Alawites have been slaughtered amid clashes between security forces aligned with the new regime and loyalists of ousted dictator Bashar Assad. The organization estimates that at least 745 people have been killed so far, including 523 Alawite civilians, while the rest were combatants from both sides.
Fighting between Syrian soldiers and Assad supporters
(Video: Reuters)
Since Saturday morning, Syrian social media has been flooded with images of intense battles between regime-aligned security forces and armed groups referred to by Syrian media as "remnants of the Assad regime." Some reports suggest that supporters of the deposed Alawite leader have been receiving external assistance, possibly from exiled elements who fled Syria.
Speculation about external support prompted Hezbollah, a longtime ally of Assad, to issue a statement denying any involvement in the events. "Certain parties are attempting to link Hezbollah to the developments in Syria and accuse it of taking sides in the ongoing conflict. Hezbollah categorically denies these baseless allegations and calls on the media to report accurately and avoid misleading campaigns serving political agendas," the terror organization said in a statement.
Meanwhile, opposition-affiliated Arab media outlets report additional massacres allegedly carried out by the current regime. The Hezbollah-linked Al-Mayadeen network reported on two massacres in the villages of Al-Qabu and Ain al-Arus in Latakia’s countryside. The director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described the situation as a "disaster," stating that the killings of Alawites involve foreign elements.
Syria’s state-run news agency reported that internal security forces in Latakia had seized large stockpiles of ammunition belonging to "remnants of the old regime." Syrian TV network SyriaTV reported that pro-Assad militants surrendered to security forces following clashes in the city of Jableh.
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Images of security forces deploying across various areas were widely circulated, with official sources claiming their mission was to "restore security and stability and protect civilians." Other reports suggested that "remnants of the Assad regime" and their families had fled to the Russian-run Hmeimim Air Base.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Muhammad al-Julani, vowed Friday that security forces would continue pursuing "remnants of the previous regime" to bring them to justice, accusing them of trying to destabilize the country. "They sought to test the new Syria — a country they no longer recognize," he declared.
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Demonstration in support of the new Syrian regime in Aleppo
(Photo: Mahmoud Hassano/Reuters )
However, an Alawite source told Ynet that the community has no ties to Assad’s former regime. "This is not some organized rebellion, as regime-affiliated media claim. There is no Iranian or Russian backing, and these are not Assad loyalists," he said. "People simply can’t endure the daily humiliation and terror any longer, and they rose up to defend their dignity."
Arab nations have condemned the ongoing unrest in Syria while expressing support for the new government’s efforts to restore order. The United Arab Emirates joined in the condemnations Saturday, with its Foreign Ministry denouncing "attacks against Syrian security forces" and affirming "support for Syria’s stability, sovereignty over all its territories, and efforts to achieve security, peace, and stability."