Syria’s security forces deploy to Latakia for operations against former regime forces [Getty]
Recent attacks on unarmed civilians along Syrian coast have sparked alarm, with growing fears that remnants of Bashar al-Assad’s ousted regime are reviving brutal tactics once synonymous with his rule.
Clashes between Syrian security forces and Assad loyalists have escalated significantly in recent days, with over 1,000 deaths reported and brutal attacks against civilians on the rise, according to Arabic media.
The fierce violence sparked the government to swiftly acknowledge the violations as well as ongoing looting and theft in cities along the Syrian coast.
In a speech on Friday, President Ahmad al-Sharaa addressed the events, emphasising that the state is seeking to protect all citizens. He further maintained that the goal of the crackdown against the militias is not to shed blood, but rather “preserve the country’s security and stability”.
Experts believe the insurgents are attempting to sow sectarian violence, in hopes that Alawites embrace their cause and revolt against the new Syrian government.
Rights monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights highlighted there has been a rapid increase in human losses and that “the total number of dead up until Saturday evening reached 1,018 people, including 745 civilians who were killed in cold blood, 125 members of the general security and ministry of defence personnel and 148 armed men from the remnants of the former regime”.
Videos of field executions of civilians as well as the torture of prisoners in civilian clothes have also surfaced on social media in recent days, according to The New Arab’s Arabic language sister publication, Al-Araby al-Jadeed.
The videos show prisoners being forced to crawl, as well as others showing theft, vandalism of homes and shops as well as the burning of cars.
Families of several people who were killed on Friday told Al-Araby al-Jadeed that many of the killings took place after the storming and search of homes.
Ruba al-Sheikh, a dentist, and her husband Bassam Sobh, a veterinarian, were killed along with their two sons on Friday. Al-Sheikh’s niece said, “a group from the general security came on Friday morning to search the house and introduced themselves as the group’s members”.
“The group searched the house while one of the members opened fire inside. They also destroyed one of the cars,” she added, noting the family’s bodies are still in the house as no one has been able to transport them to the hospital.
Violations along the coast
Syria’s ministry of interior said on Saturday the killings were carried out by an “undisciplined military group that committed violations against unarmed civilians” on the Syrian coast, and that “the army is closing roads leading to the coast and returning people not assigned to military tasks”.
The ministry stressed that the general security would also be sending additional convoys to protect people along the coast from any violations while the ministry of defence emphasised people who commit crimes will be referred to the military court and judiciary.
Syria’s general security department issued a statement on Saturday saying over 200 cars stolen in the city of Jableh have been confiscated, and many of the perpetrators arrested. The general security department in Latakia said they will deploy personnel in various parts of the city to maintain security and prevent theft.
Lawyer Ghazwan Qarnful told Al-Araby al-Jadeed that the recent developments “can only be described as war crimes” and called for the state to open an investigation into the killings along the coast, and “hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable through public trials to reassure people and send a message that no one is above the law”.
Qarnful added that the new Syrian administration must now focus on ensuring security in the country and that “forces affiliated with the General Security and the Ministry of Defense must act as forces affiliated with the state and not as militias outside it”.
The recent attacks have raised concerns that a civil war may erupt in the country.
However, Syria’s new authorities have received verbal support from countries in the region following the clashes.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it described as “crimes” carried out by “outlaw groups” against the country’s security forces.
