In Syria, the death toll is increasing in Latakia and its surroundings. According to a statement from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the death toll has surpassed 1000. It was noted that over 700 of the deceased were civilians killed at close range. The clashes resulted in the death of 148 pro-Assad elements and 125 government forces. Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Human Rights Observatory, had previously stated that the majority of civilians killed were Alawites.

HOW DID THE INCIDENTS BEGIN IN LATAKIA? The incidents in Latakia and its surroundings are claimed to have been sparked by an attack by Assad regime elements on security forces. This attack, which occurred in the Jableh district of Latakia on March 6, led to the death of 11 security officials. Following the attack, the Syrian army dispatched reinforcement units consisting of hundreds of vehicles to Latakia and Tartus. An operation was initiated to capture Assad regime elements.

LOOTING AND ATTACKS Since Friday, it has been reported that some armed groups have targeted areas with Alawite minorities. Residents of Alawite villages who spoke to the Associated Press mentioned that mostly men were targeted in the attacks, being killed on the streets or in their homes. They described the incidents as “revenge attacks.” It was also reported that many Alawite homes were looted and burned. Thousands of people fearing for their lives are said to have fled to nearby mountains.

UNITY CALL FROM AHMED SHARA Syrian President Ahmed Shara made a statement in a mosque in Damascus. Shara used expressions such as “We must protect our national unity and civil peace as much as possible. With God’s permission, we will live together in this country.” Shara, stating that this country has the resilience to survive, said, “The current challenges are expected difficulties.”

EMERGENCY COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED The Syrian Defense Ministry announced the establishment of an emergency committee to investigate and prosecute possible violations during military and security operations on March 6-7. It was stated that the committee will meticulously examine whether command instructions were followed during the operations and that responsible individuals found to have violated will be referred to a military court.