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Significant clashes continue to erupt in Syria’s coastal regions of Latakia and Tartus, where loyalists of former president Bashar al-Assad are battling security forces of the new government.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, back in December, rebels with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group with previous ties to al-Qaeda, launched a coordinated offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s regime, ending his family’s five-decade rule over Syria. Led by Ahmed al-Sharaa (al-Julani), a former high-ranking official of al-Qaeda who defected, HTS capitalized on Assad’s deteriorating military strength and widespread public discontent to seize control of key cities. As his government collapsed, Assad fled to Moscow aboard a Russian military aircraft, reportedly taking billions of dollars in state funds, and has since been residing in Russia with his family under the protection of the Kremlin. Despite efforts to rebrand itself as a nationalist opposition force, HTS has been scrutinized for its extremist ties, raising concerns among some countries about the group’s true agenda.
What’s going on now: According to reports from the ground, clashes between Syria’s new government forces and armed Alawite loyalists are intensifying, with brutal tactics deployed on both sides. In Latakia and Tartus, gunfire and artillery shelling have turned once-calm neighborhoods into war zones, with bodies piling up in the streets. Security forces have launched sweeping raids on villages suspected of harboring Assad loyalists. Detainees are executed on-site, while others are humiliated—forced to crawl on the ground before being killed.
Outgunned but determined, Alawite militias have turned to ambush tactics, striking government patrols and security checkpoints in hit-and-run assaults.
The violence has been particularly severe in Jableh, where government forces are conducting door-to-door searches, detaining suspected insurgents, and in some cases, setting fire to homes. Footage circulating online shows bloodied corpses strewn along roadsides, with reports of entire families being killed in retaliatory attacks. Alawite fighters, facing overwhelming firepower, have taken defensive positions in rural villages, but many acknowledge they are running low on weapons and ammunition.
Meanwhile, reports of mass graves and summary executions have emerged, further fueling fears of sectarian cleansing. Civilians attempting to flee have been caught in the crossfire, with many seeking shelter near the Russian airbase in Hmeimim, hoping for protection.
This all comes as Syria’s new leader has called for the Alawite minority to surrender “before it’s too late.” In a speech posted online, Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said, “You attacked all Syrians and made an unforgivable mistake. The riposte has come, and you have not been able to withstand it. Lay down your weapons and surrender before it’s too late.”
