Egypt Daily News – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Friday that security forces had executed 52 Alawites in the coastal province of Latakia, Syria, where they are engaged in unprecedented clashes with armed groups loyal to the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad.
According to the Observatory, security forces carried out the execution of 52 young men and Alawite men in the towns of Al-Shir and Al-Mukhtariya in Latakia’s countryside. This claim is supported by verified video footage and testimonies obtained from several relatives and family members of the victims.
This comes as Syrian security forces carried out large-scale sweeping operations in the western part of the country on Friday morning, following unprecedented clashes with armed groups loyal to the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad, which left more than 70 dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Ensuring security and stability across Syria remains one of the biggest challenges facing the administration of interim president Ahmed Al-Sharaa since his arrival in Damascus. The country continues to grapple with the presence of various armed factions and groups with different affiliations in multiple provinces, following a devastating conflict that began 13 years ago.
A curfew is in effect in Latakia province, the stronghold of the Alawite minority to which the Assad family belongs, following clashes described as the “most intense” since Assad was ousted on December 8. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, security forces used helicopter gunships to target armed groups loyal to the former president.
