The fighting in western Syria is causing international alarm as reports emerge of hundreds of civilians being killed in clashes between the new government and loyalists to the former regime of Bashar al-Assad. Pro-government forces are accused of carrying out revenge massacres, resulting in a significant loss of life. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 1,000 people have been killed in the past two days, including many civilians in sectarian violence. The situation, described as the worst violence since Assad’s ousting, has intensified in areas around Latakia and Tartus on the western coast. The conflict has pitted government security forces against loyalist gunmen, leading to widespread casualties and disruption of essential services like electricity and water supply. The new government has vowed to hold those responsible for harming civilians accountable, while international representatives have called for restraint and a focus on accountability and transitional justice to achieve a peaceful political transition in Syria.
