Damascus: The Syrian Ministry of Defense has announced the successful completion of a military operation against armed groups loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad, following a surge in violence that left approximately 1,000 people dead.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Hassan Abdul Ghani stated on Monday that security forces had "neutralized regime remnants and security cells" across multiple areas in the Latakia and Tartus provinces. He further confirmed that a new security strategy was being devised to prevent any resurgence of Assad forces.
The conflict erupted on Thursday when pro-Assad militants launched an ambush on a government security patrol near Latakia. The heavily armed fighters swiftly overpowered government forces and took control of Qardaha, Assad’s birthplace, prompting an urgent response from Damascus.
By Sunday, the Defense Ministry claimed to have regained control of the region and was actively pursuing the leaders of the armed groups. However, the clashes triggered widespread violence, including reports of mass executions and retaliatory attacks, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that most of the victims were civilians. Their figures indicate that 745 civilians lost their lives, with additional casualties including hundreds of government security personnel and pro-Assad militants. The observatory also reported severe disruptions to essential services, with power and water supplies being cut off in large parts of Latakia.
While the Syrian government attributed the civilian casualties to "individual actions" rather than an official policy, it maintained that its security forces were acting in response to the armed attacks by loyalist fighters.
