According to Al Jazeera, citing a Syrian security source, three members of the Syrian interim government’s security forces were killed in an attack by those loyal to the former Syrian government. Dozens have been killed or wounded in the ongoing violence.
The clashes erupted near the National Hospital in Latakia, a provincial capital on Syria’s coast. The source also claimed that eight opposition fighters were killed in the confrontation, with hostilities in the province still ongoing.
However, the casualty figures reported by the Jolani government are lower than those cited by independent sources. The Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that at least 100 fighters from Jolani’s forces have been killed, along with dozens of civilians caught in the conflict. Footage circulating online appears to show summary executions by government forces, while both sides accuse each other of carrying out such killings.
The violence escalated on Thursday in Latakia following attacks by the interim government’s forces on Alawite-majority areas under the pretext of targeting remnants of the Bashar al-Assad government. In response, the Jolani administration deployed additional troops and equipment to the region and imposed curfews in several provinces. The fighting has resulted in significant casualties on both sides, with many more injured.
The interim government, led by Jolani, has dispatched reinforcements from neighboring provinces to suppress opposition to its policies. Critics accuse elements of the administration, which previously engaged in militant activities, of continued heavy-handed tactics.
Mohammad Othman, the governor appointed by Jolani, personally visited the conflict zone, insisting that the situation is under control. "Extensive military reinforcements have been sent to break the siege on key strategic and military sites," he stated.
In a video address last night, Jolani threatened severe measures against opposition forces, declaring that Syria remains a unified entity. “Any attack on one part of Syria is an attack on the whole,” he asserted.
Jolani called on his opponents to surrender their weapons and expressed gratitude to his security and military personnel, insisting that his government remains committed to ensuring security in the coastal region.