More than 70 people were killed and dozens more wounded in Syria in fighting between government security forces and militants loyal to deposed ruler Bashar al-Assad, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the monitor posted, “More than 70 killed and dozens wounded and captured in bloody clashes and ambushes on the Syrian coast between members of the Ministry of Defense and Interior and militants from the defunct regime’s army.”
أكثر من 70 قتيلاً وعشرات الجرحى والأسرى في اشتباكات وكمائن دامية بالساحل السوري بين عناصر من وزارتي الدفاع والداخلية ومسلحين من جيش النظام البائد
— المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) March 7, 2025
According to the details, the attacks took place on Thursday near the town of Jableh in the Latakia countryside, part of the coastal area which forms the heartland of the Alawite minority sect to which the al-Assad family belongs.
The clashes reportedly began when gunmen linked to an Assad-era commander, Suhail al-Hassan, attacked security patrols and checkpoints. In reply, 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.
Current Situation
To restore order, security forces have been deployed in and around Jableh. The 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.
#Syria: Defense Ministry source to SANA: Huge military reinforcements head for #Jableh city and its countryside to support the General Security Forces, restore stability and security to the region.https://t.co/ojvLNNOp4v
— SANAEnglishOfficial (@SANAEnOfficial) March 6, 2025
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