Syria says operation against Assad loyalists over after deadly violence

Syria's Ministry of Defence has announced the completion of a military operation in the western coastal region, following several days of violence that resulted in the deaths of hundreds. According to a ministry spokesman, security forces have "neutralized" loyalists of former president Bashar al-Assad across several towns in Latakia and Tartous provinces, and are now "clearing the way for life to return to normal."

A monitoring group reported that over 1,500 people have been killed since Thursday, including 1,068 civilians. Gunmen loyal to the Sunni Islamist-led government are accused of carrying out revenge killings against members of Assad's minority Alawite sect in response to a deadly ambush on a security patrol.

On March 10, 2025, a member of the Syrian security forces was seen directing drivers in Latakia, Syria, as the defence ministry announced the completion of a military operation in the western coastal region. The operation followed several days of violence that resulted in the deaths of hundreds. The ministry stated that security forces had "neutralized" loyalists of former president Bashar al-Assad in various towns across Latakia and Tartous provinces, and were now working to restore normalcy to the region.

A monitoring group reported that over 1,500 people have been killed since Thursday, including 1,068 civilians. Gunmen loyal to the Sunni Islamist-led government have been accused of carrying out revenge killings against members of Assad's minority Alawite sect after a deadly ambush on a security patrol.

Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced that an independent committee would be established to investigate the killings, pledging that those responsible would be held accountable.

The violence marks the worst in Syria since Sharaa led a swift rebel offensive in December, overthrowing Assad and ending 13 years of brutal civil war, which claimed over 600,000 lives and displaced 12 million people.

Syria's Ministry of Defence spokesperson, Hassan Abdul Ghani, announced on X that the operation in Latakia and Tartous had concluded after achieving all its objectives. He stated that security forces had neutralized security cells and remnants of the former regime in towns like al-Mukhtareyah, al-Mazairaa, and the areas of al-Zobar in Latakia, as well as Dalia, Tanita, and Qadmous in Tartous. This effort was said to have thwarted potential threats and secured the region. Abdul Ghani also confirmed that public institutions in the area were resuming operations and that efforts to restore stability were ongoing.

He assured that security forces would support the investigating committee in uncovering the truth behind the violence and ensuring justice for victims. Sharaa, in an interview, acknowledged numerous violations following the violence and vowed to punish those responsible, including his own allies, if necessary. "Syria is a state of law," he said, emphasizing that justice would be served, even for those closest to him.

The operation was launched in response to an escalating insurgency by Assad loyalists in the region, which is a stronghold of the Alawite sect, to which many of the former regime's elite belonged. On Thursday, security forces were ambushed in the town of Jableh while attempting to arrest a wanted Assad official, with at least 13 officers reported dead. In retaliation, reinforcements were sent, supported by government loyalists. Over the next few days, they stormed numerous Alawite towns and villages, where residents reported revenge killings and looting.

A widely circulated video showed at least two dozen bodies of men in civilian clothes, piled in the yard of a house in al-Mukhtareyah. In other areas, reports emerged of fighters hunting down Alawite individuals and executing entire families on the spot.

Hiba, an Alawite woman from Baniyas, spoke to the BBC about the attack on her neighborhood by Chechen fighters loyal to the government. "Our neighbors were killed, including children. They came and took everything — gold, everything… They stole all the cars in the neighborhood. They even went to the supermarket and emptied the shelves," she said. "We were just waiting for our turn, not knowing when it would come. We saw death, saw people dying in front of us, and now all our friends and neighbors are gone. They killed innocent people in cold blood who had nothing to do with any of this."

An Alawite man, whose family lives in Baniyas, described a horrifying incident in a voice message. He said a relative was kidnapped from his home by gunmen from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group loyal to President Sharaa. "His mother made the mistake of opening the door when she did. An HTS member shot between her legs... so she screamed," he recounted. "Her son ran to see what happened to her. When they saw him, they took him with them, and he disappeared. They didn't return him."

The man added that Alawite residents in Baniyas were still hiding in their homes, too afraid to venture outside. The bodies of those killed had been buried in a mass grave near a shrine on the town's outskirts, and the kidnapped individuals had not yet been returned.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported that more than 1,540 people had been killed in the provinces of Latakia, Tartous, Hama, and Homs. This included 1,068 civilians, mostly Alawites, who died from "killings, field executions, and ethnic cleansing operations" carried out by security forces or pro-government fighters. In addition, 230 security personnel and 250 pro-Assad fighters were also reported killed. Reuters security sources confirmed the death of 300 security personnel, though the BBC has been unable to independently verify the death toll.

State news agency Sana reported the discovery of a mass grave containing the bodies of security personnel in Qardaha, the hometown of the former president, on Sunday. Turkey-based Syria TV cited local residents who said Assad loyalists had buried police officers killed in the recent clashes.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk condemned the reports, calling them "extremely disturbing," noting that entire families, including women, children, and combatants who had surrendered, were among those killed. "There are reports of summary executions on a sectarian basis by unidentified perpetrators, members of the caretaker authorities' security forces, and elements associated with the former government," he stated. Türk called for immediate action from Syria's interim authorities to protect civilians and hold those responsible for the killings and other violations accountable.