Over 70 people were killed in clashes between Syrian government forces and loyalists of deposed President Bashar al-Assad. The fighting erupted in the coastal town of Jableh and surrounding villages. It marked one of the deadliest attacks since Assad’s regime was toppled in December.
The violence included ambushes and direct confrontations. On Thursday alone, 48 people lost their lives. Among the dead were 16 government personnel and 28 Assad loyalists. Four civilians were also killed during the ongoing clashes. These confrontations are part of a larger conflict between Assad loyalists and the new Syrian security forces. The government forces are working to eliminate remnants of Assad’s regime. In Latakia, a stronghold of Assad’s Alawite minority, security forces clashed with armed groups loyal to former military commander Suhail al-Hassan.
The Syrian government responded with airstrikes and bombarded key locations. It also arrested former Air Force intelligence head General Ibrahim Huweija, a prominent figure in Assad’s era. Curfews were imposed in Alawite-majority areas to restore order amidst growing violence.