Syria is once again on the brink of full-scale conflict as violent clashes between supporters of the deposed president Bashar al-Assad and the country’s new Islamist rulers enter their fourth day. Reports indicate over 1,000 people have been killed, most of them civilians, with fighting concentrated in Latakia, Jablah, and Baniyas—strongholds of Assad’s Alawite sect along the country’s coastal region.

The latest wave of bloodshed comes three months after the overthrow of Assad’s regime in December 2024, when Ahmed Sharaa, leader of the Sunni Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized power with the support of Western nations, Turkey, and Arab states. The conflict has now escalated into a brutal insurgency, with Assad loyalists launching attacks on government forces, and reports of mass executions and revenge killings against Alawites fueling further chaos.

Mourners gather during the funeral of Shinda Kisho who was killed in Latakia, after hundreds were killed in some of the deadliest violence in 13 years of civil war, pitting loyalists of deposed President Bashar al-Assad against the country’s new Islamist rulers, in Qamishli, Syria March 9, 2025. REUTERS/Orhan Qereman TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Sharaa Vows Crackdown, Blames Foreign Powers

According to Reuters, Interim President Ahmed Sharaa addressed the nation on Sunday, vowing to hunt down insurgents and hold accountable anyone who “exceeds the state’s authority.” In a televised speech, he accused Assad loyalists and unnamed foreign backers of attempting to destabilize Syria and spark another civil war.

“Today, as we stand at this critical moment, we find ourselves facing a new danger—attempts by remnants of the former regime and their foreign backers to incite strife and drag our country into division and destruction,” Sharaa said.

His government announced the formation of an independent committee to investigate the violence, after gruesome videos of summary executions surfaced online. Reuters has not independently verified the footage.

Alawite Insurgency and Reports of Mass Executions

The clashes erupted on Thursday, when armed pro-Assad militants launched coordinated attacks on security forces, reportedly killing over 300 Syrian government personnel. In response, Islamist factions, some allegedly backed by Turkey, have been accused of committing revenge killings against Alawite civilians.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based war monitoring group, reported 745 civilian deaths within two days, calling it “one of the highest tolls since the 2013 chemical weapons attack in Damascus.” Syrian state media SANA also reported the discovery of a mass grave in Qardaha, Assad’s hometown, containing the bodies of executed security personnel.

A woman holds placards as people protest against the killing of civilians and security forces linked to Syria’s new rulers, following clashes between the forces loyal to the new administration and fighters from Bashar al-Assad’s Alawite sect, at Marjeh Square, in Damascus, Syria, March 9, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

International Reactions and Diplomatic Maneuvers

The United States and Russia have called for a closed-door U.N. Security Council meeting on Monday to discuss the rapidly escalating situation. Meanwhile, U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk has urged Syria’s interim leadership to prosecute those responsible for atrocities, warning that the sectarian nature of the violence risks plunging Syria into another prolonged civil war.

Amid the growing instability, Kurdish forces, who control large portions of northeastern Syria, have also accused Turkish-backed Islamist militias of being involved in the worst of the violence. Kurdish commander Mazloum Abdi told Reuters that Turkey’s proxies were responsible for the executions of Alawite civilians, calling on Sharaa’s government to hold them accountable.

Turkey has not yet responded to these accusations.

Members of the Syrian security forces secure an area, after hundreds were killed in some of the deadliest violence in 13 years of civil war, pitting loyalists of deposed President Bashar al-Assad against the country’s new Islamist rulers in Latakia, Syria March 9, 2025. REUTERS/Karam al-Masri

Residents Flee as Cities Burn

The violence has forced thousands of residents to flee their homes, with reports of entire villages being burned. A resident of Qadmous, a town near the conflict zone, described armed convoys equipped with tanks, heavy weapons, and small drones raiding homes and setting fire to cars.

“We don’t know how many people have been killed yet because no one is going back home—they don’t plan to for days,” said the resident to Reuters, who requested anonymity for safety reasons.

Government sources confirmed that insurgents have also attacked public utilities, disrupting electricity and water supplies across several areas. Damascus has begun deploying reinforcements to the Latakia province, where the rugged mountainous terrain is offering Assad loyalists cover to continue their offensive.