March 2025 Western Syria clashes

Following the fall of the Ba'athist government, the new Syrian government instituted a policy which fired thousands of Alawites through the dismantlement of Ba'athist security apparatus. The ranks of Ba'athist officers who led the 6 March uprising were thus swelled by disaffected Alawite youths who had lost their jobs due to these policies. Human rights organizations also reported numerous sectarian attacks targeting primarily Alawite civilians in the region, carried out by unidentified gunmen, resulting in hundreds of civilian casualties. There were many fires in forested areas of Latakia province, with the caretaker government blaming seventeen on sabotage acts by "remnants" (rump state) of the Assad regime. ==Timeline==

6 March On 6 March, armed remnants of the former Assad regime launched a series of coordinated attacks against security forces in the cities of Jableh, Baniyas and the surrounding areas. Insurgents overran several positions. According to SNHR, upwards of 75% of the city of Baniyas was captured by remnants of the former Assad regime in this assault. Latakia's provincial director said that an armed pro-Assad group, affiliated with Suhayl al-Hasan (nicknamed "The Tiger") and which included the newly-formed Military Council for the Liberation of Syria, conducted an attack in the city. Helicopters of the Syrian Air Force conducted airstrikes in the village of Beit Ana in response to this attack. Clashes in the village resulted in one security force member killed and two wounded. Alawite leaders called for peaceful protests in response to the air strikes. Latakia's Director of Public Security mobilized a full security response to the province. Multiple videos recorded by armed men showed large convoys of militants moving towards Tartus and Latakia. A narrator in one video (which CNN was unable to geolocate) stated: "It was the battle for liberation. Now it's a battle for purification [of Syria]," while a man in military gear stated, "To the Alawites, we're coming to slaughter you and your fathers" and "we will show you the [strength] of the Sunnis." 7 March Though the Syrian caretaker government managed to retake certain areas, such as the Jableh Naval college, the city itself remained with a significant Assadist presence which continued to launch attacks against the government. 8 March Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) reported that 164 civilians were killed by armed militias supporting the Syrian government between 6 and 8 March. Assad loyalist groups killed 26 civilians and 121 police members of the Syrian General Security Service. UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that Syrian security forces and pro-government fighters perpetrated the killing of more than 700 Alawite civilians across parts of the Latakia countryside in the previous days. Dozens of civilians, former members of the Assad regime and their families fled to Russia's Khmeimim Air Base in Latakia province to seek refuge. 10 March On 10 March, the Syrian defense ministry announced the end of military operations in the Syrian coastal region. 12 March On 12 March 9 Syrian soldiers were killed in Barmaia by Assadist insurgents. These insurgents also attacked an interim government fuel truck convoy between Latakia and Baniyas. Similarly, Assadist insurgents also attacked the gate of military barracks near Beit Yashout, Jableh District. ==Responses==

Kuwait and Bahrain condemned "the crimes committed by outlaws in Syria and their targeting of security forces and state institutions". Following the massacres, protests erupted in Turkey against the Turkish government's support for the Syrian forces, who, according to the protesters, committed crimes against humanity. In Iraq, the clashes inflamed sectarian conflict with a new Iraqi group known as "Ya Ali Popular Formations" announcing on 9 March that it would pursue and expel all Syrians who support the Syrian caretaker government. The agreement also included a ceasefire that predicting halt both the massacres against Alawites and the clashes at the Qarah Qawzaq bridge and the Tishrin Dam. ==Analysis==

The Institute for the Study of War found that even though most populated areas were secured, this did not indicate that the insurgency was defeated as cells in Tartous and Latakia's countryside are still present. It also found that the insurgents have a presence outside of the coastal provinces, with some insurgent pockets of resistance fighting in Hama too. ISW also argued that the capture of some pro-Assad military leaders would not affect the insurgency, as it is not under the control of any one group and there is no clear evidence that these commanders were involved in planning. Pro-government sources have tended to blame Alawites for the massacres perpetrated against them and some alleged the massacres against Alawites were "false flag attacks". The goal of the uprising was described by Hamza al-Ali, a GSS officer in al-Qadamous, as implementing an autonomous region along the coastal areas. ==Notes==