More than 70 people were killed and dozens wounded on Friday in violent clashes between Syrian security forces and gunmen loyal to deposed ruler Bashar al-Assad in the coastal province of Latakia, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
“More than 70 killed and dozens wounded and captured in bloody clashes and ambushes on the Syrian coast between members of the Ministry of Defence and Interior and militants from the defunct regime’s army,” the monitor said in a post on X.
How did the clash unfold?
The violence erupted in Jableh, a town in Latakia province, as security forces launched operations to root out Assad loyalists who have regrouped in the mountainous coastal region.
Earlier reports had put the death toll at 48, with SOHR describing the fighting as the “most violent” since Assad was ousted by Islamist rebels in December. The dead included 16 security personnel and 28 pro-Assad fighters, while others were wounded or captured.
The clashes reportedly began when gunmen linked to an Assad-era commander, Suhail al-Hassan, attacked security patrols and checkpoints. In response, government forces launched helicopter strikes on a village in Latakia.
“The armed groups that our security forces were clashing with in the Latakia countryside were affiliated with the war criminal Suhail al-Hassan, who committed the most heinous massacres against the Syrian people,” Latakia’s security director Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Kunaifati told state news agency SANA.
Al-Hassan, nicknamed “The Tiger”, was a key military commander under Assad, leading special forces in major battles against the rebels in 2015. His hometown, Beit Ana, became a focal point of the latest tensions after residents reportedly disrupted security forces during an operation to arrest an arms dealer.
What’s happening now?
Security forces have been deployed in and around Jableh to restore order. Reports indicate that Alawite community leaders have accused the government of targeting peaceful protesters in the helicopter strikes. The Alawites, Assad’s sectarian base, largely backed him during his rule but are now caught in the turmoil following his downfall.
SANA, citing defence ministry sources, confirmed that reinforcements have been sent to the Jableh region to bring the situation under control.
Assad’s fall and its aftermath
The latest violence is part of Syria’s ongoing instability following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. His ouster, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels, marked the end of his 24-year rule and the Assad family’s five-decade hold on power.
In the final hours before Damascus fell to the rebels, Assad fled the country in secrecy, misleading his aides about Russian military support.
“He told his commanders and associates after his Moscow trip that military support was coming,” said Hadi al-Bahra, the head of Syria’s main opposition abroad. “He was lying to them. The message he received from Moscow was negative.”
As his government collapsed, security forces abandoned their posts, allowing rebels to seize control of Damascus. Assad’s brother Maher and other key regime figures also fled, while some were ambushed by rebel fighters.
Since Assad’s departure, the HTS-led insurgents have promised an inclusive government, but concerns remain over their Islamist ties.
