Syrian officials initiated a security operation in the city of Latakia on Tuesday, as reported by residents, following the deaths of two of their personnel in an assault attributed to remnants of Bashar al-Assad’s overthrown regime.
Gunfire echoed throughout the night as government security units moved into the Datour neighborhood of Latakia, situated in the coastal region where Assad has historically garnered support from the Alawite community connected to his family.
The coastal area has surfaced as one of the primary security dilemmas for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s newly established administration, which has stationed numerous forces in the region since Assad’s ousting in December.
A high-ranking security official in the area informed Reuters that there has been a rise in hit-and-run assaults targeting security patrols and checkpoints in various towns within Latakia province over the past fortnight, attributed to former army members who are in hiding.
According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, referencing a security source, the two defense ministry personnel were killed in al-Datour by “groups of militia remnants loyal to Assad,” and security forces have launched a campaign to apprehend them.
A resident of Datour reported to Reuters that heavy gunfire was heard in the early morning, and that security forces surrounded the neighborhood with multiple vehicles before the situation settled down later in the day.
The senior security source attributed the recent attacks in the Latakia region to an increase in firearms among former security and army members who have declined to engage in reconciliation efforts with the new authorities.
The source noted that Alawite community leaders have, in some instances, teamed up with security forces to surrender former personnel suspected of crimes committed during the Assad regime, eager to prevent crackdowns and possible civil unrest.
Last week, a police station came under attack during skirmishes in Qardaha, Assad’s ancestral town, located about 25 kilometers (16 miles) east of Latakia.
According to residents and activists from Qardaha, the conflict ignited when security personnel attempted to enter a residence without authorization, provoking backlash from locals. One individual was shot dead, with residents blaming the security forces for the incident, as stated by two residents and Alawite activists.
A statement released at that time by the Latakia security chief made no reference to the gunfire incident. It accused groups purportedly opposing security measures of trying to obstruct security forces from establishing a checkpoint and assaulting the police station.
Community leaders and prominent figures from Qardaha released a video statement following the incident, condemning “outsiders” for attempting to “exploit divisions between the people of Qardaha and the authorities in order to disturb” security.
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They expressed their backing for any measures taken by the authorities that align with their agreement to maintain security and protect lives.
