Overview

• Fighting began Thursday in the provinces of Latakia and Tartus, strongholds of the Alawite sect, after attacks by Assad loyalists on government forces escalated into widespread violence.
• The death toll has surpassed 600, including at least 300 civilians, with reports of revenge killings targeting Alawite communities by Sunni gunmen loyal to the new government.
• Monitoring groups allege that government forces have carried out indiscriminate attacks, including executions of civilians, while officials deny these claims and promise investigations.
• Thousands of civilians have fled their homes, with residents reporting looting, arson, and sectarian violence in affected areas, leaving many bodies unburied in the streets.
• The violence poses a significant challenge to Syria's interim government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, as it seeks to consolidate power and restore security after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December.