Months after the removal of former President Bashar al-Assad, Syria has plunged into further violence as the country’s new Islamist rulers attempt to crush an Alawite-led insurgency. The conflict, which has already claimed the lives of over 1,000 people, mostly civilians, has now entered its fourth day in Assad’s former stronghold along the coast, according to a war monitoring group. Reports indicate that the majority of the victims belong to the Alawite community, which is heavily concentrated in coastal areas such as Latakia and Tartous. On Saturday, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that in just two days of fighting, at least 1,000 people had been killed. Among them were 745 civilians, 125 Syrian security personnel and 148 fighters loyal to Assad.

On Sunday, Rami Abdulrahman, who leads the observatory, described the recent bloodshed as one of the deadliest escalations since 2013, when Assad’s forces carried out a chemical attack in a Damascus suburb, killing approximately 1,400 people. Syria’s interim government, now led by Sunni Islamists, is headed by Interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa. Over the weekend, he called on both Syrians and the international community to hold accountable those responsible for harming civilians or mistreating prisoners. The ongoing counteroffensive against Assad loyalists in Alawite-majority coastal regions has left several cities and towns in ruins. Meanwhile, rights groups have reported numerous revenge attacks, with Sunni militants indiscriminately targeting Alawites, regardless of whether they were involved in the insurgency.

The Alawite sect, which is a branch of Shia Islam, was a key pillar of support for Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria. In this country, the majority of the population is Sunni. Fighting broke out on Thursday between the new security forces and Assad loyalists in the Alawite heartland. Since then, the violence has escalated, with reports describing widespread killings. A significant number of those killed are believed to be from the Alawite community, which is primarily based in Syria’s coastal regions, particularly in cities like Latakia and Tartous. Rights organisations estimate that hundreds of civilians have lost their lives in the ongoing clashes. During Assad’s rule, critics accused his government of favouring the Alawite community. As Syria’s civil war intensified, various militant groups emerged, viewing Alawites as allies of Assad and his key backers, Russia and Iran, making them targets of attacks.

Since Assad was removed from power, tensions have been rising, driven by sectarian violence targeting the Alawite community, which had governed Syria for more than 50 years under the Assad family’s rule. These attacks have continued despite promises from Syria’s interim president that the new government would create an inclusive political system representing all communities.

The authorities in Damascus have downplayed the violence against civilians, calling it the result of "individual actions" while stating that government security forces are only responding to armed groups still loyal to Assad.

A senior commander of a Syrian Kurdish armed group, which is engaged in a separate conflict with Turkey, has accused Turkish-backed Islamist factions of carrying out brutal atrocities, including the execution of Alawite civilians. Turkey has not yet responded to these accusations.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the wave of mass killings began after authorities arrested a wanted suspect in an Alawite-majority village. However, by Saturday, the situation in the coastal region had somewhat stabilised. Interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s office has announced the creation of an independent committee to investigate the violence committed by both sides. Meanwhile, disturbing videos showing executions by fighters have been widely circulated among Syrians, though news agencies like HT.com have not independently verified their authenticity.

In a surprise attack, Alawite gunmen loyal to Assad overran government security forces and temporarily took control of Qardaha, Assad’s hometown, prompting Damascus to send reinforcements urgently. On Sunday, Defence Ministry spokesperson Col. Hassan Abdel-Ghani announced that security forces had restored control over the area and were actively hunting down the insurgent leaders. Despite government appeals to halt sectarian violence, the clashes escalated, leading to heavy civilian casualties.