Syrian forces, ex-regime loyalists exchange fire in Damascus, explosion reported

Armed confrontations have surged in Damascus as security forces loyal to transitional President Ahmed Al-Sharaa engage in fierce exchanges with remnants of the former regime.

Local reports indicate that the violence has spilled into the Mazzeh district, where unidentified assailants targeted a security checkpoint with grenades, triggering a powerful explosion and subsequent heavy gunfire, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Syrian state television confirmed via social media that an attack on a Mazzeh checkpoint had taken place, although no casualties were reported. 

Footage circulating online captured security personnel dashing towards a vehicle near the checkpoint amid the din of gunfire. Samir Yousef, director of Sham FM, noted that clashes had erupted along Mazzeh’s main thoroughfare.

Meanwhile, reports from Syria News stated that Damascus security forces had detained several individuals believed to be loyal to the former regime as part of ongoing operations. This latest bout of violence follows President Al-Sharaa’s recent vow to bring those responsible for last week’s coastal violence to justice—a clash that saw fierce fighting in predominantly Alawite coastal areas.

Additional reports have confirmed casualties among security personnel in Jableh and its surrounding regions, while some sources claim that over 1,000 civilians, chiefly women and children, have been killed amid the escalating conflict. As the situation continues to deteriorate, the capital braces for further unrest.

To recall, on March 9, violence escalated in the gas field at Baniyas, located between Tartus and Latakia, where clashes occurred between government forces and pro-Assad militants. SOHR reports that over 1,000 people have died in the last two days, including 125 government security personnel and 148 pro-Assad fighters.

The Syrian Ministry of Defence confirmed that the government regained control of areas targeted by insurgents, including in the town of Kardaha, where security forces launched operations after armed groups seized buildings.

The UN has urged Syria's new leadership to take immediate action to protect civilians, with reports of sectarian executions by various armed factions, including those linked to the former Assad regime. 

By Aghakazim Guliyev