Death toll from clashes in Syria’s coastal region reaches over 1,000

In Syria, the death toll from two days of clashes between country’s security forces and supporters of ousted President Bashar-Al-Assad, along with subsequent revenge killings, has surpassed 1000. The clashes, which began on Thursday in the coastal region of Jableh in Latakia province, has since spread along the Mediterranean coast. 

 

A war monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which is based in UK said, in addition to 745 civilians, 125 members of the government security forces and 148 people of armed groups affiliated with deposed President Bashar Assad were killed. The group also noted that large areas around the city of Latakia experienced power and water outages. The country is also witnessing revenge killings that started on Friday by gunmen loyal to the government against members of Ousted President Assad’s minority Alawite sect. Alawites made up a large part of Assad’s



support base for decades.

 

The ongoing clashes in Syria are one of the deadliest outbreaks of violence since conflict began in the country 14 years ago. It mark a major challenge to Damascus’s new government, three months after insurgents seized control after removing President Assad from power.The Observatory also warned that the lack of legal accountability could further escalate violence and undermine Syria’s fragile stability following the ouster of President Assad.

 

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expressed deep concern over reports of escalating violence and civilian casualties in Syria’s coastal region. In a statement, head of the ICRC mission in Syria, Stephan Sakalian, called on all parties to take immediate measures to protect civilians and uphold humanitarian principles.