Arab media: Syria’s coastal cities reeling from pro-Assad violence

Violence across Syria’s western coast has led to widespread destruction and a growing humanitarian crisis, as life in cities such as Jableh and Latakia struggles to resume following intense clashes.

Armed groups loyal to remnants of the former regime have left hundreds dead, while communities reel from the devastation, Caliber.Az reports, citing The New Arab.

Jableh, a coastal city located 25 kilometres south of Latakia, has been particularly hard-hit. Streets are littered with burned civilian vehicles, looted shops, and emptied food warehouses. The city, which experienced some of the fiercest fighting, was besieged for two days by armed groups before security forces intervened to lift the blockade.

Residents are now contending with severe shortages of essentials. Long queues of hundreds have formed in front of a bakery in central Jableh, where locals have been unable to secure bread for three days. Power and water remain cut off, and humanitarian aid has yet to arrive.

The outskirts of Jableh, particularly the Rmaila neighbourhood, have also suffered heavy damage. The mixed Sunni and Alawite area, which saw intense fighting, is marked by burned homes and bodies of suspected fighters from the former regime, still covered by blankets along the roadside. The aftermath of the violence is visible across the district.

To the north, Russia's Hmeimim military base has become a refuge for civilians fleeing the violence, while security forces have set up new military checkpoints around Latakia. Tensions remain high, with intermittent gunfire and the rumble of advancing tanks heard from the countryside. Syria's defence ministry has announced the launch of the second phase of military operations aimed at targeting pro-regime fighters who fled to rural areas.

The violence erupted on March 6 after coordinated attacks by pro-Assad fighters on security forces. This set off a spiral of revenge killings, with thousands of armed supporters of Syria's new leadership arriving in coastal areas to assist the security forces. Over 200 soldiers and public security personnel have been reported dead, and the situation has sparked concerns of renewed sectarian violence.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), 642 people have died since the clashes began, including 315 killed by pro-regime remnants. This includes 167 security personnel and 148 civilians. Meanwhile, government forces and allied militias have reportedly killed 327 people, including disarmed fighters and civilians. SNHR director Fadel Abdulghany called the scale of civilian casualties "staggering," adding that the death toll may rise as access to affected areas improves.

Among the casualties was Alaa Naanou, a displaced man who narrowly escaped gunfire aimed at his vehicle as he returned to Jableh. Tragically, a local family was killed in the same attack. In Baniyas, Syrian army-affiliated gunmen reportedly opened fire indiscriminately in the Al-Qusour neighbourhood, resulting in civilian deaths, including women and children. Fearing further attacks, many residents fled to Tartous.

Omar Hudhaifa, a prominent figure in Baniyas, confirmed that violence had occurred in Al-Qusour, attributing it to undisciplined armed groups acting without coordination from Syria's defence ministry. Marah Haddad, a local resident, claimed that those killed had no connections to any armed groups, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the attacks.

In response to the violence, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced an investigation into the incidents, pledging to hold perpetrators accountable. The Syrian presidency also stated that an independent committee had been formed to look into the violations against civilians and bring those responsible to court.

By Aghakazim Guliyev