More than 1,000 people have been killed following two days of violent clashes between Syrian security forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad, followed by a series of revenge killings. This escalation marks one of the deadliest moments in Syria’s 14-year conflict.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the casualties include 745 civilians, primarily killed in close-range shootings, as well as 125 members of the security forces and 148 fighters from Assad’s loyalist factions. The violence also left large areas, including parts of Latakia, without electricity or clean drinking water.
The clashes erupted on Thursday and represent a sharp escalation in the challenge to the newly-formed government in Damascus, which took power three months ago after insurgents, including factions like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and ISIS militants, overthrew Assad’s regime. The government has stated that the violence was in response to attacks from Assad’s loyalists, attributing the chaos to “individual actions.”
The violence quickly gave way to revenge killings, particularly targeting civilians from towns that had supported Assad’s regime. HTS, aligned with the new government, launched attacks against members of communities seen as loyal to the former president. The killings were brutal: gunmen shot civilians in their homes, looted properties, and set homes on fire.
In Baniyas, one of the worst-hit areas, residents described a scene of horror, with bodies left in the streets and inside homes, where they were prevented from being collected for hours. One local, Ali Sheha, recounted how his neighborhood saw at least 20 people killed, many in their homes or shops. He explained that the attacks were driven by the belief that these civilians were complicit in the crimes of Assad’s government. He also noted the presence of foreign fighters and militants from nearby towns in the attack.
Massacre in Baniyas
Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory, called the events a major massacre, emphasizing that the revenge killings were among the most devastating seen throughout the Syrian conflict. Though no official death toll has been released, the number of dead continues to rise.
A funeral was held on Saturday for four Syrian security force members killed in clashes in the village of Al-Janoudiya, west of Idlib, attended by dozens of mourners.
Syria’s state news agency reported that government forces have successfully regained control of most areas that had been under the influence of loyalists to Assad. Authorities also closed roads leading into the coastal region, a move aimed at restoring order.
On Saturday morning, residents in the village of Tuwaym held a funeral for 31 people killed in revenge attacks the day before, including nine children and four women. The victims were buried in a mass grave.
Lebanese legislator Haidar Nasser, representing Syria’s Alawite community in parliament, stated that many people are fleeing Syria for safety in Lebanon. He highlighted that many civilians loyal to the Syrian state have been targeted and driven from their jobs in the aftermath of Assad’s fall. Nasser called on the international community to protect these loyalists and prevent further bloodshed.
The international community has expressed concern, with France condemning the violence. France’s foreign ministry called for independent investigations into the religiously motivated atrocities and urged accountability for those responsible for the killings.
The clashes initially began when Syrian forces attempted to detain a wanted individual near the coastal city of Jableh.
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