Hundreds killed in Syria as pro-Assad attacks spiral into revenge killings

Syria has witnessed its most severe clashes since the downfall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December of last year. The interim president of Syria has appealed to all parties to remain calm in order to prevent further deterioration of the situation. This call for peace highlights the urgency of addressing the escalating conflict.

According to a report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), over 1,000 people have been killed in the coastal region of Syria in the past two days. The conflict began on Thursday with a series of organized attacks and ambushes by supporters of former President Assad against Syrian security forces. These militants are affiliated with the Alawite sect to which Assad belongs, further complicating the sectarian dimensions of the conflict.

Security forces, supported by allied armed groups, launched fierce retaliatory attacks in the Latakia and Tartus regions. Multiple media reports and eyewitness accounts indicate that the violence has escalated into reciprocal killings. An unnamed eyewitness near the Datour neighborhood of Latakia stated that armed men were conducting house-to-house searches, contributing to an atmosphere of terror and uncertainty.

The eyewitness told Middle East Eye: "My friend's fiancé in Baniyas was shot. They didn't let anyone help, and he died from blood loss. They still haven't been able to bury him." She also stated: "My aunt in the village of Bustan al-Basha, all her neighbors were killed." The eyewitness claimed that armed men identifying themselves as belonging to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) also searched their homes and stole 20 cars from the community. However, she believes these individuals were not HTS fighters but rather a "terrorist organization," suggesting the involvement of various factions in the violence. "Anyone who tries to leave or looks suspicious is killed," she added, painting a grim picture of the situation on the ground.

Some civilians managed to flee to the Russian-controlled Khmeimim Air Base in Latakia, but armed groups were waiting at checkpoints. "The first question at the checkpoint was whether we were Alawites," the eyewitness said. SOHR reported that at least 745 Alawite civilians were killed in Latakia and Tartus in three days, in addition to 148 pro-Assad militants. Furthermore, the UK-based war monitor stated that approximately 125 soldiers of the new Syrian government army were also killed, indicating the widespread nature of the casualties.

Interim Syrian President Ahmed Shala stated on Sunday: "We must maintain national unity and domestic peace; we are able to coexist." The conflict had by then entered its fourth day. Speaking at a mosque in the Mazzah neighborhood of Damascus, he said: "Rest assured that Syria has the characteristics to survive. What is happening in Syria now is within the expected challenges." Shala stated that anyone who targets civilians in the attacks will be held accountable, emphasizing the government's commitment to justice and stability.

Another eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, is from Latakia and currently resides in Germany. Her family lives in Baniyas, Tartus. "I almost lost them, but now they moved to Parmaya, where they found bodies in the fields," she told Middle East Eye. "They killed her friend, a girl named Zina, in my aunt's house. They burned down two of our houses. Thank God, both families hid." The eyewitness said that militants attacked the village of Baniyeh's Farsh Kabieh, specifically targeting unarmed civilians from certain families, highlighting the targeted nature of the violence.

She said that on Friday, a house where generations of a local family, the Ali family, had gathered was attacked. "They shot a girl in the leg, as well as her brother and husband. To this day, their bodies have not been buried." The violent clashes continued into Sunday, with Defense Ministry officials telling the official SANA news agency that fighting was taking place in the village of Betannita in the Tartus countryside. Furthermore, the cables connecting Daraa and Tripoli were deliberately damaged, causing telecommunications and internet outages in Daraa and Suweida. This attack was part of a series of attacks on utilities by Assad loyalists. Several pumping stations and fuel depots were targeted. SANA reported that the Baniyas gas power plant was attacked by "remnants of the former regime," triggering the conflict, suggesting a coordinated effort to destabilize the region.