Syrian Arab Republic - March 2025

Sectarian violence surged in coastal regions between 6 and 17 March, with the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documenting 1,084 deaths. The wave of violence began on 6 March in Jableh, Latakia, when former regime loyalists attacked Syrian security forces and reportedly started forest fires, killing at least 16 people. This triggered clashes and reprisals from government forces and allied militias. During the clashes, General Ibrahim Huweija, former head of Assad’s air force intelligence and who is accused of crimes under Hafez al-Assad’s rule, was arrested. During the period of rising violence, over 600 civilians, mostly Alawites, were killed in Latakia, Tartous, and Hama, amid reports of excessive force, arbitrary killings, and forced disappearances. In response to reports of massacres, President Al-Sharaa pledged accountability and, on 10 March, formed an independent investigation committee with a 30-day deadline to report its findings.

Sources: Middle East Eye, Enab Baladi, Syrian Arab News Agency, Syrian Network for Human Rights, The New Arab, Middle East Monitor, Al Arabiya, Amnesty International