(Image source from: Apnews.com)

According to a war monitoring organization, over 1,000 individuals have lost their lives within a span of two days of conflict in Syria, as reported by the Associated Press. The violent encounters between government troops and supporters of former President Bashar Assad, along with subsequent acts of vengeance, have resulted in one of the most devastating episodes in the nation’s 14-year civil war. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in Britain, indicated that 745 of the deceased were civilians, predominantly killed in close combat, in addition to 125 personnel from government security forces and 148 loyalists to Assad. Extensive areas in Latakia province have experienced power outages and a lack of drinking water. The clashes erupted on Thursday when security forces made an attempt to apprehend a wanted suspect near Jableh but were ambushed by Assad supporters, as stated by the Observatory, according to an AP report. By Friday, retaliatory attacks intensified, with Sunni Muslim militants allied with the government targeting members of the Alawite sect, which is the minority group supporting Assad. This escalation presents a significant test for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that played a role in ousting Assad from power.

Residents have recounted horrific murders occurring in Alawite villages. Ali Sheha, a 57-year-old from Baniyas, recounted to AP, “There were bodies lying in the streets. The gunmen were firing at homes and residents from less than 100 meters away.” He described how attackers checked individuals' identities to verify their sect before executing them. The Syrian government claimed to have regained control of most territories once held by Assad’s loyalists. France has denounced the violence, with its foreign ministry declaring, “Paris strongly condemns the atrocities committed against civilians based on their religious identity.” At the same time, many Alawites have fled, with numerous individuals seeking shelter at Russia’s Hmeimim airbase. Lebanese lawmaker Haidar Nasser commented to AP, “The international community must provide protection to Alawites, who are loyal citizens of Syria.”