Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa worked swiftly on Sunday to address some of the deadliest violence witnessed in the 13-year civil war, involving loyalists of ousted president Bashar al-Assad and the new Islamist rulers of the country. The clashes, responsible for the deaths of approximately 1,000 individuals, predominantly civilians, persisted for a fourth consecutive day in Assad’s stronghold on the coast.
The head of a Syrian Kurdish armed group, engaged in a separate conflict with Turkey, accused Turkish-backed Islamist factions of perpetrating distressing violence, including reported executions of civilians from Assad’s Alawite sect. Turkish authorities did not immediately respond to these allegations.
Al-Sharaa’s office announced the formation of an independent committee to investigate the ongoing clashes and killings by both sides, following the circulation of graphic videos depicting executions by combatants. The authenticity of these videos could not be immediately verified by Reuters.
According to a Syrian security source, the intensity of combat had decreased around the cities of Latakia, Jabla, and Baniyas, with forces scouring the surrounding mountainous regions where an estimated 5,000 pro-Assad insurgents were believed to be hiding.
Al-Sharaa, tasked with governing a nation rife with internal divisions, emphasized the importance of safeguarding national unity and domestic tranquility, urging Syrians to resist sectarian tensions that could further destabilize the country. Speaking at a mosque in his childhood neighborhood of Mazzah, Damascus, he reassured the public about Syria’s resilience in the face of current challenges.
Following the overthrow of Assad by rebels led by al-Sharaa’s Sunni Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, Syria witnessed a transition of power, with the appointment of an interim government and the assumption of control over the armed forces by al-Sharaa’s faction. Assad’s removal marked the end of decades of authoritarian rule by his family, characterized by severe repression and the onset of a destructive civil war from a peaceful uprising in 2011.
The conflict in Syria, a battleground for proxy disputes involving Western nations, Arab states, Turkey, Russia, Iran, and Tehran-aligned militias, has led to the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives and the displacement of millions of Syrians. Following Assad’s ouster, clashes erupted between Turkish-backed groups and Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria, while Israel targeted military installations in Syria and lobbied the U.S. to maintain Syria’s weakened state.
The United States condemned the violence in Syria, highlighting the devastation caused by the prolonged war and the continued imposition of U.S. sanctions from the Assad era, further complicating efforts to stabilize the country. Expressing solidarity with Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, the U.S. urged Syrian authorities to hold accountable the “radical Islamist terrorists,” a sentiment echoed by UN human rights chief Volker Turk.
In the aftermath of Assad’s downfall, violence resurged as forces aligned with the new Islamist leadership cracked down on an insurgency stemming from the Alawite sect in Latakia and Tartous provinces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a death toll exceeding 1,000 individuals over two days of intense fighting, including civilians, security forces, and pro-Assad fighters.
Rami Abdulrahman, head of the observatory, disclosed that among the civilian casualties were Alawite women and children, marking one of the deadliest episodes since a chemical attack by Assad’s forces in 2013. Syrian security sources confirmed the loss of over 300 members in clashes with former army personnel loyal to Assad, who orchestrated coordinated assaults on security forces.
State media reported the discovery of a mass grave near Qardaha, Assad’s hometown, containing the bodies of recently slain security personnel. Subsequent retaliatory attacks targeted Alawites, with armed supporters of the new administration converging on coastal regions to reinforce beleaguered forces.
Alawites, part of a Shia offshoot, have been associated with Assad’s brutal actions during the war, fueling sectarian tensions due to their allegiance to the former leader. Mazloum Abdi, the Kurdish commander, held factions supported by Turkey and Islamic extremists accountable for the violence, urging al-Sharaa to take action against them.
Reports from a resident of Qadmous described a harrowing situation where people fled to fields for safety as fighters, equipped with tanks and heavy weaponry, razed homes and vehicles along the main road. The attacks also targeted public utilities, disrupting essential services like electricity and water supply, prompting security reinforcements in Latakia province to counter anti-government forces exploiting the rugged terrain for cover.