Overview

• Violence erupted on March 6, 2025, when Assad loyalists attacked government forces in Tartus and Latakia, prompting a harsh military response.
• More than 800 people, primarily civilians and disarmed combatants, were killed in the ensuing conflict, with reports of atrocities including executions and mass graves.
• The Alawite minority, historically aligned with Assad, has been a key target of revenge killings, with thousands displaced to the Russian-controlled Hmeimim Air Base for safety.
• President Ahmed al-Sharaa has launched investigations into atrocities and vowed to hold perpetrators accountable, with arrests already underway.
• International involvement remains limited, though the U.S. has brokered agreements with Kurdish forces, while concerns about Iranian and Hezbollah influence persist.