Syria Faces Deadliest Violence Since Assad's Fall, Raising Concerns Over Sectarian Tensions

Hundreds of civilians, predominantly Alawites, have been killed in retaliatory violence following an uprising by Assad loyalists against the new Sunni Islamist-led government.

The violence erupted after loyalists of deposed leader Bashar al-Assad launched an insurgency in western Syria, targeting the Sunni Islamist-led government of Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Retaliatory attacks by pro-government forces and other mobilized fighters led to widespread killings in Alawite-majority areas, with over 1,000 people reportedly dead, including 595 civilians.
Eyewitness accounts and monitoring groups report house-to-house massacres, looting, and destruction in coastal regions such as Latakia and Tartous, with many of the victims being Alawite civilians.
Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, condemned the violence and vowed accountability, while acknowledging the participation of undisciplined fighters aligned with government forces in the killings.
The new government, rooted in the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) faction, faces challenges in uniting the country, addressing economic devastation, and managing sectarian tensions to avoid further destabilization.