A war monitoring group said on Saturday that the violence was one of the deadliest incidents since Syria's conflict began 14 years ago.
In Syria's coastal region, clashes between government security forces and gunmen loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad have escalated, pushing the dea🐟th toll from two days of fighting and revenge killings to more than 1,000. A war monitoring group said on Saturday that the violence was one of the deadliest incidents since Syria's conflict began 14 years ago.
According to the Associated Press, the 🔥Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that in addition to the 745 civilian deaths, most of them from close-range gunfire, 125 government security force members and 148 militants from armed groups linked to Assad were killed. It added that electricity and drinking water had been cut off in large areas around the city of Latakia.
Where Did the Clashes Happen?
Clashes broke out on Thursday, in ෴the provinces of Latakia and Tartus on Syria's Mediterranean coast, which is home to the country's Alawite minority and a bastion of supporꦜt for ousted President Al-Assad.
About 10 percent of Syria♎ns are Alawite, which is connected to Shia community in Islam. The Assad family, who ruled in Syria for almost five decades, is Ala🐻wite.
The government has said it was responding to attacks by remnants of Assad's forces and blamed 'individual actions' for the wides꧟pread 🥃violence.
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Retaliatory Killings Between Sunnis And Alawites
The retaliatory killings that began on Friday were carried out by Sunni Muslim government-loyalist gunmen against supporters of Assad's minority Alawite sect, dealing a major blow to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that overthrew the old government. The Alawite community has long been a crucial comp꧃onent of Assad's base.
Alawite villagers and town residents interviewed by the Associated Press described killings in which gunmen shot Alawites, most of them men, in the streets or at 🦂the gates of their homes. Many Alawite homes were also looted and burned in various🎃 locations.
Who Are The Assad Loyalist And What They Want?
Assad loyalists, primarily Alawites, are taking up arms in response to attacks against Alawite civilians and districts and aim to protect their interests and remain influential ꦉin the region.
T✃he loyalists are concentrated in the 🌊Alawite-governed provinces of Tartus and Latakia.
Who Are The Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham?
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is a Sunni Isꦉlamist rebel organisation led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. They operate primarily in Syria's norꦿthwestern Idlib province. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham was instrumental in undermining Bashar al-Assad's government and helped bring down a number of strategic strongholds.
As the conflict erupts in Syria, the questi𝔍on is whether Hayat Tahrir al-Sham will be able to maintain itself, having played a large role in undermining Bashar al-Assad's regime, which ultimately toppled his 50꧅-year rule.
Reports From Syrian Officials Suggest Govt Forces Regaining Ground
According to Syria's state news agency, government troops have retaken most of the terri🧔tory from Assad loyalists. It stated that authorities have shut down all roads leading to the coastal area "to prevent violations and slowly restore stability".
Saturday morning saw the remains of 31꧅ individuals who d𝔉ied in retaliatory attacks the previous day in the central village of Tuwaym buried in a mass grave, as per the media reports.
Lebanese legislator Haidar Nasser, who holdꦚs o♉ne of the two seats allocated to the Alawite sect in parliament, said that people were fleeing from Syria for safety in Lebanon.
The most recent clashes started when government forces reportedly tried to detain a wanted🎶 person near the coastal city of Jableh, and were ambushed by Assad loyalists.