More than 1,000 people were killed in Syria over two days amid violent clashes between security forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, the Associated Press reported on Saturday, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The fighting, which erupted on Thursday, marked one of the deadliest outbreaks of violence since the country’s conflict began nearly 14 years ago. At least 745 civilians were killed, most at close range, along with 125 members of government security forces and 148 militants from armed groups allied with Assad.
According to the war monitor, large areas around the city of Latakia have been left without electricity and drinking water due to the ongoing violence.
Clashes Escalate After Arrest Attempt
The unrest began after security forces attempted to detain a wanted individual near Jableh, a coastal city in northwestern Syria. However, the operation was met with an ambush by Assad loyalists, triggering intense confrontations.
By Friday, the violence escalated further, with Sunni Muslim gunmen, aligned with the government, targeting Alawites—Assad’s minority sect that had been a key pillar of his support for decades.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s Growing Influence
The clashes pose a significant challenge to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the armed rebel group led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, which played a crucial role in toppling Assad’s government in December. The group had entered the capital, Damascus, unopposed, marking the end of the Assad family’s five-decade rule.
Following his overthrow, Assad fled to Russia with his family, where they were granted asylum by Moscow on humanitarian grounds.
Russia and Iran, long-time backers of the Assad regime, had supported his government through more than 13 years of civil war. His ouster is seen as a major setback for both nations, which had invested heavily in maintaining his rule.
A Long and Devastating Conflict
Bashar al-Assad had led Syria for nearly 25 years, assuming power in July 2000 after the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad, who ruled the country from 1971.
Syria’s civil war, which began in March 2011, has claimed more than 350,000 lives, according to United Nations estimates. Over six million Syrians have fled the country, while another 6.7 million remain internally displaced. More than 14 million people in Syria are in need of humanitarian aid.
The latest violence underscores the continued instability in Syria even after Assad’s removal, as rival factions struggle for control and sectarian tensions flare.
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Global Affairs Desk at The Chenab Times covers international developments, global diplomacy, and foreign policy issues through fact-based reporting, explainers, and analytical pieces. The desk focuses on major geopolitical events, diplomatic engagements, and international trends, with an emphasis on verified information, multiple perspectives, and contextual understanding of global affairs.
