Syria Crisis: More Than 200 Dead as Assad’s Loyalists Wage War on Government

In Syria’s coastal regions, intense clashes between government forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad have resulted in over 200 deaths, marking the most violent confrontation since Assad’s government was overthrown in early December by insurgent groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

According to a war monitor, armed forces backing Syria’s new government launched a series of raids on villages near the coast, targeting Assad loyalists in response to recent attacks on security forces. The offensive, which began on Thursday and continued into Friday, has escalated tensions in the war-ravaged country.

Retaliation Sparks Heavy Bloodshed

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the fighting has claimed more than 200 lives, including at least 140 in retaliatory attacks on villages. Among the dead are approximately 50 government troops and 45 pro-Assad fighters.

The latest wave of violence erupted when government forces attempted to detain a suspect near the coastal city of Jableh on Thursday but were ambushed by Assad loyalists. In response, gunmen allied with the new government stormed multiple villages, including Sheer, Mukhtariyeh, and Haffah, killing dozens of men while reportedly sparing women.

“They killed every man they encountered,” said Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV reported that at least 30 men were executed in Mukhtariyeh alone, while another 60 people including women and children were killed in the town of Baniyas.

Government Forces Tighten Grip

Syrian state media has yet to release an official death toll. However, the state-run news agency SANA cited an unnamed security official who acknowledged that people had taken to the coast seeking revenge for previous attacks on government forces. The official admitted that “some individual violations occurred,” but assured efforts were underway to curb them.

In response to the escalating violence, Damascus deployed reinforcements to key coastal cities, including Latakia and Tartus, as well as surrounding villages that have historically served as strongholds for Assad’s minority Alawite sect. A curfew remains in effect in Latakia and other affected areas.

The new government has accused Assad loyalists of carrying out repeated attacks on the country’s security forces in recent weeks. However, authorities insist they will not tolerate sectarian revenge or collective punishment against the Alawite community.

International Concerns

UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, urged restraint, warning that further violence could deepen Syria’s instability.

“All parties should refrain from actions that could further inflame tensions, escalate conflict, exacerbate the suffering of affected communities, destabilize Syria, and jeopardize a credible and inclusive political transition,” Pedersen said in a statement.

As of Friday, Assad loyalists still controlled Jableh, Baniyas, and several Alawite villages, including his hometown of Qardaha, as tensions in Syria’s coastal region continue to mount.