Syria’s interim leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has pledged to hold those responsible for the recent mass killings of civilians accountable after clashes left hundreds dead. Reports indicate that Syrian security forces allegedly targeted members of the Alawite religious minority in what is being described as one of the deadliest episodes since the fall of the Assad regime.
A UK-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported that at least 830 civilians were killed in massacres along Syria’s west coast on Friday and Saturday. The overall death toll from the recent violence has risen to 1,311, including 231 security forces and 250 pro-Assad fighters, according to the monitoring group.
The BBC has not independently verified the casualties. However, the reported numbers suggest a significant escalation of violence.
In a televised address on national TV and social media, Sharaa, whose rebel movement ousted Bashar al-Assad in December, vowed to track down those involved in the bloodshed, including Assad loyalists.
At this critical moment, we face a new danger—remnants of the former regime and their foreign backers seeking to incite strife and drag our country into civil war, aiming to destroy its unity and stability, Sharaa said on Sunday.
We will hold accountable, firmly and without leniency, anyone involved in harming civilians or abusing power to achieve personal gains, he continued. No one is above the law, and those with blood on their hands will face justice sooner rather than later.
Sharaa also announced on Telegram that an independent committee had been formed to investigate civilian deaths and identify those responsible.
The recent violence follows ambushes on government forces last Thursday, which the Syrian defense ministry described as treacherous attacks against security personnel. The situation rapidly escalated into a wave of clashes between Assad loyalists and government forces, particularly in Latakia and Tartous—former Assad strongholds along the Mediterranean coast.
Civilians in the region have been forced to flee, with many seeking refuge at Russia’s Hmeimim military base in Latakia. Video footage obtained by Reuters showed crowds outside the base chanting people want Russian protection. Others have fled across the border into Lebanon.
UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen expressed deep concern over the rising civilian casualties, calling for all parties to refrain from destabilizing actions and work toward an inclusive political transition.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk described the reports as extremely disturbing and urged an independent, transparent investigation into human rights violations.
Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, condemned the killings of Alawites in Latakia and Tartous as systematic and extremely dangerous. He accused Syria’s interim government of failing to control the crisis.
The fall of the Assad government in December ended decades of rule by the Assad family but left Syria facing a turbulent transition. The recent surge in violence has raised fears of renewed conflict in the war-ravaged country.
Sharaa, in a separate speech at a Damascus mosque, called for unity, saying, God willing, we will be able to live together in this country.
With tensions high and thousands displaced, Syria’s future remains uncertain as its new leadership struggles to maintain control and prevent further bloodshed.
