Armed clashes occurred between Alawites and representatives of the new authorities in Syria

The Syrian central government forces took control of the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus on March 6, where the Alawite uprising began. As of March 8, the ruling Islamic group "Hay’at Tahrir ash-Sham" (HTS) is conducting raids in densely populated areas of the region with affiliated army and militants. Meduza has gathered the latest information.

It is reported that the new government of the country is searching for the rebels, and this search process is continuing alongside the mass killings of men. The exact number of victims is currently impossible to determine. According to videos circulating on social media, fragmented statements from human rights defenders, and reports from local residents, there are at least hundreds of victims.

^{Photo: Bilal Al Hammoud / EPA / Scanpix / LETA}
Dozens of videos depicting the killings of Alawites are circulating on social media: they are shot at by dozens of people, beaten, dragged on the ground, and forced to howl like dogs. Most of the footage shows the bodies of the dead in civilian clothing, the wounded, and the corpses of those taken captive. It is unclear which of them are participants in the uprising and which are peaceful civilians. Overall, the footage resembles events following mass killings rather than battles. The reality of the individual massacres of Alawites has already been partially confirmed by the Reuters news agency.

On March 7, Syrian President Ahmad ash-Shara’a addressed the people. He blamed the "fallen regime's remnants" for the violence in Latakia and Tartus and promised to pursue them "until they are completely eradicated."

The Alawites, an ethnic-religious group to which former Syrian President Bashar Assad and his family belong, did not have their own organized military forces. Unlike Druze, Kurds, and other communities in Syria, this role was effectively performed by the official armed forces - the Syrian Arab Army during Assad's era. This army disbanded when Bashar Assad's regime fell in December 2024.

Since then, the Sunni Islamic group "Hay’at Tahrir ash-Sham" (HTS), which has taken power in Syria, has been trying to prevent the Alawites from uniting and becoming a new military force. Until recently, these efforts involved conducting raids in Alawite villages and even shelling them.

^{Photo: Bilal Al Hammoud / EPA / Scanpix / LETA}
At the beginning of March, an Alawite uprising began in the provinces of Latakia and Tartus. Apparently, it is led by former officers of Bashar Assad's army. On March 6, one of them, General Giyas Dala, announced the formation of a "military council to liberate Syria." During the civil war from 2014 to 2020, Dala's brigade was one of the most effective and ruthless units fighting on the side of the Assad regime. The general himself is believed to have close ties with Iran, a long-time ally of the Assad regime.

In his address, Syria's new president ash-Shara’a called for "all forces that joined this battle to submit to the command." This demand is primarily directed at militants from various groups. After the fall of the Assad regime, they were not officially included in the new Ministry of Defense, but they are fighting for the interests of the new government.

In practice, it is usually impossible to distinguish between such militants and the country's official security forces. The new officials in Syria have repeatedly emphasized their intention to fully disarm all non-state groups and monopolize violence.

Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia have expressed support for the new government actions in Syria's Latakia and Tartus provinces.

Photos and videos of Alawites, primarily women and children, seeking refuge at Russia's Khmeimim airbase are circulating on social media. It is located near the city of Jabla in Latakia province, where the Alawite uprising began. Russian representatives have not yet commented on this information.

^{Photo: Chine Nouvelle / SIPA / Scanpix / LETA}