Assad loyalists launch attacks in Syria, dozens killed
Photo: Assad supporters carried out attacks in Syria (Getty Images)
Armed men believed to be supporters of Bashar al-Assad's regime carried out sudden attacks in several regions of Syria, resulting in dozens of casualties, Bloomberg reports.
Assad supporters launched attacks on the port city of Latakia and other areas. A curfew was in effect overnight on March 7 in Latakia, Tartus, Homs, and along the Mediterranean coast.
Bloomberg also reminds that Russia maintains a naval base in Tartus.
The Syrian news agency Sana reports that the recent assault was "pre-planned", targeting several security sites in the coastal city of Jableh and its surrounding rural areas. The attack caused damage to government buildings as well as state and private property.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 48 people were killed during the clashes from both sides, including four civilians. Three gunmen were reported to be detained in Latakia.
Mass rallies in support of the current government took place in several other cities, including Damascus, Idlib, and Hama.
A Defense Ministry spokesman, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, called on the Assad loyalists to surrender.
Fall of Assad's regime
In early December 2024, Bashar al-Assad's regime was overthrown in Syria, ending the decades-long rule of his family.
Control of Syria shifted to rebel forces, with Ahmed al-Sharaa, a rebel leader, being named President during the transitional period. World leaders welcomed the fall of Assad’s regime.
Bashar al-Assad and his family fled to Russia, where they are believed to still reside.
Ukraine supported Syria after the fall of Assad's regime, sending grain and other food supplies. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Syria on an official trip at the end of 2024.
