Damascus: Fighters supporting Syria’s newly formed government launched attacks on multiple villages near the country’s border, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people. These attacks were reportedly carried out in retaliation for recent assaults on government security forces by loyalists of the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad.
The violence began on Thursday and continued into Friday. The ongoing clashes between the two factions mark the deadliest escalation since the overthrow of Assad’s government by rebel groups led by the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in early December. The new government has vowed to unify Syria after 14 years of civil war.
Origins of the Recent Clashes
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 200 people have been killed since the fighting began. Among the casualties, approximately 140 were killed in revenge-driven attacks on villages, while nearly 50 were members of Syrian government forces and 45 were Assad loyalists.
Since the outbreak of Syria’s civil war in March 2011, more than 500,000 people have died, and millions have been displaced. The latest clashes reportedly erupted when government forces attempted to detain a wanted individual near the coastal city of Jableh on Thursday, only to be ambushed by Assad loyalists.
Reports of Civilian Casualties
According to the Associated Press, armed fighters loyal to the new government attacked the villages of Shir, Mukhtariyah, and Haffah near the border on Thursday and Friday. At least 69 men were killed in these attacks, but reports indicate that no women were harmed. Rami Abdulrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, stated, “They killed every man they encountered.”
Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV also reported the attacks on three villages, stating that over 30 men were killed in Mukhtariyah alone.
The Observatory further reported that an additional 60 people, including women and children, were killed in the city of Baniyas. Syrian authorities have not officially disclosed the number of casualties, but state-run news agency SANA quoted an anonymous security official acknowledging that retaliatory violence had taken place along the coast. The official noted that some “individual violations occurred, and efforts are underway to contain them.”
Government Response and Calls for Restraint
Interim President Ahmed al-Shara, in a video statement, urged armed groups affiliated with the former government to surrender their weapons. He also called on supporters of the new government to avoid targeting civilians or mistreating prisoners.
The situation remains volatile as tensions between pro- and anti-Assad factions continue to escalate, raising concerns of further instability in the war-torn nation.
