Damascus: The head of Syria’s transitional phase, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, on Sunday called for "preserving national unity and social stability" amid ongoing violence in the country's coastal regions.
Speaking at a mosque in Damascus on Sunday morning, Al-Sharaa referred to the clashes that erupted on Thursday, stating, "What is happening in the country are challenges that were expected." He urged Syrians to do their utmost to maintain unity and stability.
Meanwhile, Syrian Defense Ministry spokesperson Colonel Hassan Abdulghani announced that security forces had regained control of areas where "attacks against security personnel" had occurred. He stated that operations against the "remaining criminal strongholds" were still ongoing and that legal action would continue against those involved.
In a video statement on Saturday evening, Abdulghani urged civilians who had supported security forces to return to their homes. He also called on security personnel to strictly follow orders, remain stationed away from residential areas, and avoid engaging in unauthorized violence.
The Defense Ministry emphasized that security forces would soon clear the area of those unrelated to military operations.
According to Syria’s state-run news agency, SANA, an ambush targeted a public security patrol near the city of Al-Haffa, east of Latakia, on Saturday, killing one officer and injuring two others.
By Saturday, state forces had regained control of most of the coastal areas that had witnessed clashes since Thursday. A Defense Ministry official confirmed that roads leading to northwestern coastal areas had been closed to "prevent further violations, restore order, and gradually re-establish stability."
SANA quoted a public security official saying that criminal activity, including theft, had surged in the coastal areas due to "the actions of remnants of the former regime, leading to instability."
State media also published images allegedly showing a significant security presence in Latakia, Tartous, Jableh, and Baniyas.
The Defense Ministry reported that government forces had repelled an attack on a naval headquarters in Latakia, which it attributed to "remnants of the former regime." Officials claimed that security forces successfully restored stability in the area.
However, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) accused security forces of committing mass killings against the country’s Alawite minority during the ongoing unrest.
The organization claimed that approximately 745 Alawite civilians were killed in what it described as "mass executions" on Friday and Saturday, The claims are not verified till this report published.
Reports indicate that hundreds of people have fled their homes in response to the violence. The coastal region is considered a stronghold of former President Bashar al-Assad, who himself is of Alawite descent.
According to SOHR, more than 1,000 people have been killed over the past two days, making it the deadliest episode since last December, when rebel forces toppled Assad’s government. Among the dead are dozens of government soldiers and Assad loyalist fighters who were involved in battles in Latakia and Tartous.
SOHR further reported that at least 125 pro-government security forces and 148 loyalist militia fighters had been killed since Thursday.
A Defense Ministry spokesperson told SANA that after "treacherous attacks" on security forces, the government successfully regained control of the affected areas.
UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, expressed deep concern over "disturbing reports of civilian massacres" and called on all parties to avoid actions that threaten the country's stability and "inclusive political transition."
Alawites, a sect within Shiite Islam, comprise about 10% of Syria’s population, while the majority of Syrians are Sunni Muslims.
