At least 311 people have been killed in Syria since Thursday amid clashes between government security forces and supporters of ousted former President Bashar al-Assad, according to a monitoring group that warns the actual death toll could be “much higher.” The UK-based Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) told CNN on Saturday that government forces have killed at least 164 civilians, including seven children and 13 women, as part of a “large-scale security operation” across villages in Latakia, Tartous, and Hama. Meanwhile, Assad loyalists have reportedly killed 147 people—26 civilians and 121 security personnel—according to SNHR’s director, Fadel Abdul Ghani. “We expect the death toll to be much higher,” Ghani added. CNN has not independently verified these figures and has reached out to the Syrian government for comment. Growing Tensions and Government Response The ongoing violence is the most severe since Assad—who belonged to the minority Alawite sect—was overthrown in December by Sunni Islamist militants seeking to reshape Syria’s political and sectarian landscape. In a televised address Friday, Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, vowed to hold those responsible for attacks on security forces accountable but urged government troops to “avoid excessive or unjustified retaliation” in response to the high civilian casualties. Syria’s Ministry of Information told CNN that Assad’s loyalists have also captured around 300 government security personnel, with “dozens” still missing. Deep-Rooted Divisions and Humanitarian Concerns The recent surge in violence underscores the challenges Syria’s new leadership faces in stabilizing the country, particularly among disenfranchised and heavily armed groups. Latakia and Tartous—once strongholds of Assad’s Alawite supporters—remain tense. While some Alawites surrendered their weapons after Assad’s fall, others have not. Assad, who fled to Russia in December, has not commented on the escalating violence. On Saturday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expressed deep concern over the rising death toll and called on all parties to treat detainees with dignity and protect critical infrastructure, including healthcare facilities and water and electricity networks. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the ongoing bloodshed, urging all sides to protect civilians and cease hostilities. He warned of the risk of escalating sectarian tensions at a time when reconciliation and a peaceful transition should be the priority. Syria’s civil war began as a peaceful uprising against Assad in 2011 during the Arab Spring but spiraled into a conflict that killed over 300,000 people in its first decade, leaving the nation deeply fractured.