Syrian authorities prepare large-scale security campaign on coast
LATAKIA, Syria (North Press) – A government source told North Press on Tuesday that Ministries of Interior and Defense of the Syrian transitional government are preparing to launch a large-scale security campaign along the Syrian coast, allegedly aimed at pursuing cells suspected of links to the Assad regime.
According to the source, around 30,000 security and military personnel are expected to take part in the operation, as part of a broader plan to bolster stability in a region that witnessed bloody incidents over the past year, which left hundreds dead.
The planned campaign follows clashes that erupted after supposedly groups linked to the Assad regime targeted members of the Syrian transitional government, resulting in dozens of casualties amid accusations of sectarian-motivated violence.
Over the past year, Alawites in Syria’s coastal areas organized widespread demonstrations calling for federalism and the release of detainees, against the backdrop of escalating security and political tensions.
In early March 2025, Syria’s northwestern coastal governorates—including Latakia, Tartus and parts of Hama—were engulfed in some of the deadliest violence the country had seen since the end of the Assad era.
The unrest began on March 6 when armed groups reportedly linked to supporters of the ousted regime launched coordinated attacks on security checkpoints and government forces, killing dozens of security personnel. Syrian authorities said the assaults rapidly spread into widespread clashes.
What followed was a rapid escalation of sectarian-tinged violence. Armed militants and local militias engaged in brutal combat, and as government forces and allied groups moved in to retake control, civilians were caught in the crossfire.
Reports from fact-finding committees, local monitors, and international agencies indicate mass killings, extrajudicial executions, burning of homes, summary killings, looting, and widespread lawlessness affected many coastal towns and villages.
Independent investigations documented over 1,400 deaths, including civilians—women and children—as well as members of security forces, with fatalities widely reported across Latakia, Tartus and Hama.
Many victims belonged to the Alawite minority, and numerous abuses were condemned by human rights groups as unlawful and, in some cases, potentially constituting war crimes.
The violence left tens of thousands displaced, largely disrupted healthcare and humanitarian services, and exposed ongoing instability in a region long considered a government stronghold.
Syrian authorities established a fact-finding committee to investigate, pledging accountability for perpetrators, while international organizations urged transparent, thorough probes into the killings.