Syria Faces Deadliest Clashes Since Assad's Fall

Pro-Assad loyalists launch coordinated attacks in Latakia, killing 16 security personnel and escalating sectarian tensions.

Gunmen loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad ambushed Syrian security forces in Latakia, killing at least 16 and wounding several others in the most violent clashes since Assad's overthrow in December 2024.
The attacks targeted security checkpoints and patrols in Jableh and surrounding areas, with reports of helicopter gunships and artillery strikes deployed by government forces in response.
The clashes involved fighters linked to Suhail al-Hassan, a former Assad-era commander, and have raised concerns about the resurgence of Assad loyalists in Alawite strongholds.
Sectarian tensions between the Alawite minority and Sunni Islamist-led government forces continue to rise, with accusations of human rights violations during security operations in the region.
The Syrian government has imposed curfews and deployed reinforcements to restore stability, while urging Assad loyalists to surrender and warning against sectarian violence.