Escalating Violence in Syria: New Government Faces Major Security Crisis Following Clashes with Assad Loyalists
Syrian government forces have engaged in fierce clashes with remnants of the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad, marking one of the most significant crises for the new leaders since they assumed power in December. Reports indicate that at least 13 members of the security forces were killed during confrontations in the Jableh region, located along the coast. A regional official described the attacks as a well-planned ambush orchestrated by remnants of the Assad militias.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a prominent monitoring group, reported that the ambush in Jableh, near Latakia, resulted in the deaths of at least 16 security personnel and four civilians. They noted that dozens of Assad loyalists were also killed or wounded, although the exact numbers remain unverified. The Observatory highlighted that over 70 individuals have reportedly died and numerous others suffered injuries or were captured amid the violent incidents on the Syrian coast involving government security forces and militants loyal to the deposed Assad regime.
Rami Abdurrahman, head of the monitoring group, indicated that the gunmen behind the ambush belonged to the Alawite community. He described the clashes as some of the most intense since the fall of the Assad regime. Indeed, forces loyal to Assad have repeatedly targeted security patrols and checkpoints in the Jableh area, according to Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Kunaifati, who is the provincial chief of security.
Amid this violence, Alawite activists assert that their community has faced escalating violence and attacks since the regime's collapse. Tensions appear to be rising between Iran-backed Assad's minority Alawite sect and members of the new government, which came to power after an offensive led by Islamist insurgent groups, primarily Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
In response to the ongoing attacks, the new Syrian authorities have characterized these incidents as isolated and have committed to capturing those responsible. Reports from the state-run SANA news agency and Al Arabiya confirm that a prominent figure, General Ibrahim Huweija, has been arrested. Huweija is attributed with countless assassinations during Hafez al-Assad's era, the authoritarian leader who governed prior to his son Bashar taking over. Huweija, who served as the head of Syria's air force intelligence from 1987 to 2002, is suspected of ordering the 1977 assassination of Lebanese Druze leader Kamal Bek Jumblatt. His arrest has drawn reactions from Walid Jumblatt, the son and successor of Kamal Jumblatt, who celebrated the news on social media by stating "Allahu Akbar, God is Greatest."
The new Syrian government is grappling with the formidable challenge of stabilizing a war-torn nation after a devastating 13-year civil war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions, many of whom fled to Turkey and further to European countries.
Internationally, Western nations are cautiously considering the prospect of lifting sanctions that were imposed to isolate the Assad regime. This reconsideration comes as they await indications of progress toward democracy and the protection of human rights from the new administration. Notably, on March 6, Britain unfroze assets belonging to Syria's central bank and 23 other entities that had previously served the Assad regime's oppressive tactics. Additionally, last month, the European Union lightened restrictions on the Syrian central bank while maintaining sanctions, whereas Washington has retained its sanctions on the central bank. This situation continues to evolve as the international community watches the developments in Syria closely.
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