Mass Executions and Clashes in Syria’s Coastal Region Leave Over 120 Dead
SOHR reported that security forces carried out mass executions of 52 Alawite men in the towns of Al-Shir and Al-Mukhtariya in Latakia’s countryside.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Syria’s coastal province of Latakia witnessed one of its bloodiest days on Friday, as security forces reportedly executed 52 Alawite men and engaged in fierce clashes with pro-Assad militias, bringing the total death toll to at least 124 since Thursday. The violence marks the most intense confrontation between government forces and loyalists of the ousted president Bashar al-Assad since his fall in December.
Kurdish Student Among the Victims
A source informed Kurdistan24 that Shinda Adel Kisho, a first-year medical student originally from Qamishli, was among the victims. She lost her life after being struck by a stray bullet during the clashes on Thursday night. Kisho had been studying medicine in Latakia, a city that remains a stronghold of Syria’s Alawite minority, to which the Assad family belongs.
Reports of Mass Executions
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that security forces carried out mass executions of 52 Alawite men in the towns of Al-Shir and Al-Mukhtariya in Latakia’s countryside. Verified video footage and eyewitness accounts confirm that victims were rounded up and executed in cold blood.
One video shows dozens of bodies in civilian clothing piled near a house, with pools of blood visible on the ground, while women can be heard wailing in the background. Another clip shows three captives in military uniform forced to crawl before being shot at close range. A third video captures a gunman executing a young man in civilian clothing inside a building entrance.
Escalating Violence and Security Crackdown
Since Thursday, 72 more people have been killed, including 36 security personnel, 32 pro-Assad fighters, and four civilians. This brings the total death toll in Latakia to 124, with 52 previously reported fatalities.
The violence erupted in Beit Aana, the hometown of Suhail al-Hassan, a former senior military commander under Assad, when security forces attempted to arrest an arms dealer. The confrontation quickly escalated into armed resistance, leading to a military crackdown. Syrian helicopters bombed rebel positions, while artillery shelling hit nearby villages.
Damascus Targets Assad Loyalists
Since Assad’s fall on December 8, Syria’s new government has launched security operations against remnants of the former regime, particularly in central and western Syria, where many Alawite communities reside. These operations have resulted in clashes, gunfights, and targeted raids.
While officials blame pro-Assad militias for the instability, human rights groups and local residents report reprisal killings, home seizures, and summary executions, which authorities dismiss as "isolated incidents."