More than 1,000 dead in deadly clashes between Assad loyalists and Syrian government forces

More than a thousand people have died in fierce clashes between the government forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. 

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the deadly confrontations began last Thursday in the northwestern province of Latakia.

This has been described as one of the deadliest battles in Syria since the civil war began 14 years ago. 

The intense fighting lasted for two days and left 745 civilians, 125 members of government security forces, and 148 Assad loyalists dead.

The violence has also caused disruptions to basic services, with water and electricity supplies being cut off in various parts of Latakia, affecting many local residents.

Analysts have stated that the region has become a growing security concern for Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Shara. 

The unrest in Latakia is just one of the challenges he is facing, as he is also encountering resistance in the south, where recent clashes with Druze forces have further complicated the situation.

In the midst of these battles, President Ahmed al-Shara has issued an ultimatum to the Alawite rebels who support the former president. 

He has called for their surrender, warning that those who refuse will face severe consequences.

While the Syrian government claims that Assad loyalists launched an unexpected attack on their security forces, the loyalists argue that their community has been subjected to violence, particularly in rural areas like Homs and Latakia.

The Alawites, who are a sect of Shia Islam, make up about 10 percent of Syria’s population, and Bashar al-Assad, the former president, was also a member of this group.

This ongoing violence, along with President al-Shara’s efforts to quell the unrest, continues to drive the deepening crisis in Syria, as the country remains locked in a brutal and prolonged civil war.