Syrian MoD announces end of 'military operation' in coastal region
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An investigation is underway to uncover the details of the events and is allegedly meant to "bring justice to victims."
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Syrian government forces are deployed amid heightened security in Damascus, Syria, Friday, March 7, 2025. (AP)
The Syrian Ministry of Defense announced the conclusion of the "military operation on the coast after public establishments were able to resume their operations," claiming it eradicated the "former regime's security cells and members" across Tartus and Latakia.
The ministry's statement also claimed an investigation was underway to allegedly examine the past days' events, verify the acts, and bring justice to the victims.
It also addressed the "remnants" of the former regime and its personnel, warning "If you return, we will return, and we will not back down."
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Sunday that over 1,000 people, including about 700 civilians, have died, most at the hands of government forces.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights also claimed government forces killed around 125 civilians.
The violence has sparked fears of a larger sectarian conflict, particularly in the Alawite-majority coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus. The Syrian Observatory said on Saturday that at least 60 civilians, including five children, were killed in the violence in Baniyas.
A cautious calm looms following days of mass killing
In this context, local sources confirmed that the situation has begun to calm in the Syrian coastal region as the UN mission started its tour from the city of Jableh. They noted that "a state of cautious calm prevails in several areas of Latakia's countryside, particularly with the withdrawal of foreign fighters from these areas."
The sources added that "many residents are still wandering in the wilderness and forests, afraid to return to their homes after the massacres that took place."
According to the sources, "refugees at the Russian Hmeimim base refuse to leave and are demanding international protection due to threats from armed groups, some of whom are linked to the General Security."
On Sunday, Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, stressed that "the threats facing Syria today are not fleeting dangers but deliberate schemes to sow discord and instability in the country."
Al-Sharaa claimed that "the previous regime left deep wounds that will be difficult to heal," emphasizing the need for Syrians to "stand strong against those trying to incite sectarian strife."
The Syrian presidency for the transitional period has issued a decision to establish an independent national committee to investigate and uncover the facts surrounding the recent events in the coastal region.
Read more: Circulating footage shows civilians massacred in Latakia countryside
