A total of 48 people were killed in fighting between Syrian security forces and pro-Assad fighters on Thursday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). This is the worst day of violence since President Bashar Assad was ousted.
The clashes took place around the town of Jableh in Syria’s Latakia province, which is home to the Alawite minority. Assad loyalists ambushed and killed 16 police personnel, prompting a response from security forces that left 28 pro-Assad fighters and four civilians dead.
Security forces used helicopter gunships to attack the ambushers, reportedly including fighters loyal to former General Suheil al-Hassan. The Syrian government has arrested former intelligence official Ibrahim Hweiji, believed responsible for organizing an assassination in 1977.
Following the attacks, military reinforcements were deployed to the area and curfews imposed on Alawite-populated areas. The situation is said to be under control, but tensions remain high as Sunni militants target the formerly dominant group.
The Syrian government has warned against collective punishment and sectarian violence, but residents and observers accuse security forces of human rights abuses, including seizing homes and carrying out executions. Despite these allegations, the government calls them “isolated incidents” and vows to investigate those responsible.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/syria-sees-worst-day-of-violence-since-ouster-of-assad/a-71852125