'Provocations' in Latakia threaten Syria, region's peace: Turkiye
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Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli says his country stands "against any actions targeting the Syrian people's right to live in peace and prosperity."
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This handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows members of the Syrian security forces entering the Mediterranean city of Tartous to reinforce government troops in clashes with militants loyal to deposed ruler Bashar al-Assad, on March 7, 2025 (Photo by SANA / AFP)
Turkiye issued a warning on Friday against "provocations" in Syria's Latakia province, where recent clashes have resulted in dozens of fatalities, marking some of the most intense violence since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
Ankara cautioned that these developments pose a threat to regional stability.
"Such provocations must not be allowed to become a threat to the peace of Syria and our region," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli wrote on X.
According to a war monitor, violent clashes erupted on Thursday between government security forces and militants reportedly affiliated with the former regime in the coastal province, leaving more than 70 people dead and dozens injured.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that security forces "executed" 52 members of the Alawite minority, to which the al-Assad family belongs.
Since al-Assad was overthrown by Islamist-led factions led by the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group on December 8, Syria’s new authorities have launched security campaigns aimed at eliminating what they refer to as "regime remnants," particularly targeting Alawite strongholds in the central and western regions of the country.
Turkiye maintains strong relations with Syria’s new leadership.
"We stand against any actions targeting the Syrian people's right to live in peace and prosperity," Keceli stated, affirming that his country "will continue to stand by the Syrian people and their administration."
مشاهد لمجازر بحق المدنيين في ريف #اللاذقية.#الميادين pic.twitter.com/sUyYWZQbaz
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) March 7, 2025
On Friday morning, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Syria reported a series of massacres in the Syrian coastal region. Citing local sources, he stated that "a group dressed in military and public security uniforms entered the village of al-Mukhtariyah, separated the men from the women and children, and executed the males."
Our correspondent noted that similar massacres occurred in the town of al-Haffa and the village of al-Qabo, describing the day as "bloody" in Latakia's countryside.
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