On March 6, loyalists to Syria’s former President Bashar al-Assad attacked the new government’s troops in the coastal areas of Syria where Assad’s Alawite sect is concentrated, killing 16 security and Ministry of Defense personnel. Over the next four days, disturbances and sectarian strife killed some 1,500 civilians and military personnel from both sides. The following is a detailed timeline of events from March 6 to March 14, 2025.
March 6
- In the coastal city of Latakia, violent clashes erupted between the new Syrian security forces and armed groups believed to be remnants of the former regime, consisting of a group headed by Ghayth Dallah, a former officer of the Assad military’s Fourth Division, which had been led by the ex-president’s brother, Maher al-Assad. Dallah has been accused of responsibility for the 2012 massacre in the city of Darayya in which more than 700 unarmed civilians were killed. On March 6, Dallah announced the formation of the “Military Council for the Liberation of Syria” along with three military organizations, “Lion Shield,” “Mountain Brigade,” and “Coastal Shield.” Another new group was linked to Brigadier General Suhail al-Hassan, the former commander of the 25th army Division and known as “the tiger,” and yet another was linked to Miqdad Fatiha, a former military commander in the Fourth Division. These armed groups demonstrated the ability to deploy quickly at pivotal points in major cities on the Syrian coast, especially the centers of Latakia and Tartous governorates as well as Jableh.
- These Assad regime remnants launched an attack on government positions in the three areas, killing 16 members of the security forces, and temporarily controlled the local administration buildings in the cities of Latakia and Jableh, a development interpreted by the new Syrian administration as the beginning of a large-scale military rebellion in the coastal region. The attackers also succeeded in enforcing a near-complete siege on police stations and security forces in the region. Many videos were posted on social media showing the targeting and killing scores of civilians inside their cars, simply because they had Idlib license plates. By the end of the day, more deaths were reported among security forces personnel.
- The General Security Forces of the Syrian Transitional Government decided to request assistance from the new Syrian Army through the Ministry of Defense and from military formations and factions allied with it. These forces deployed in various Syrian governorates, especially in Idlib and the countryside of Aleppo.
- Demonstrations took place in cities such as Damascus, Hama, and Aleppo, confirming popular support for the General Security Forces and the army and their efforts to maintain stability..
- According to an official Syrian government report, at night volunteer teams headed to coastal cities and carried out reprisal attacks, including summary executions of local residents and looting. That evening and the following morning witnessed the most blatant violations of human rights, as photos and videos emerged of many innocent and unarmed civilians being killed.
- As a result, thousands of members of the Alawite community in the Latakia countryside fled to seek protection at Russia’s Humaymim Air Base.
March 7
- Clashes continued, but government forces managed to retake important sites such as the Naval Academy in Jableh. The Military Council for the Liberation of Syria announced it had taken control of several villages in the Alawite Mountains area and expanded its attacks to other areas such as Masyaf in the countryside of Hama. Ambushes proliferated and targeted both government personnel and civilians.
- Gradually, government forces regained military and security control over most of the sites that had fallen outside their control in the main city centers in Latakia and Tartous, with the exception of Jableh, which fell to government forces a little later.
- In a televised address, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa called on the mutineers to surrender themselves and their weapons, pointing out that they sought to test the new Syria. He called on the army and security forces to protect civilians and urged the public not to overreact to events. He vowed to continue to pursue the remnants of the former regime and bring them to trial, and to continue to ensure the state’s monopoly over weapons. Al-Sharaa stressed that the people of the Syrian coast are part of the state’s responsibility, and that civil peace and security will not be compromised.
- Military operations were temporarily suspended in major cities as government troops moved to arrest the perpetrators of crimes against civilians and to return the looted property to its rightful owners.
- Rami Makhlouf, cousin of ousted President Assad and previously one of his main financial backers, accused Assad of implicating the Alawite community in a bloody losing conflict, describing the armed rebellion as a stupid move.
- The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the crimes committed by outlaw groups in Syria and their targeting of security forces, stressing its firm support for the Syrian government in its efforts to maintain national security and stability.
- The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep concern over the escalation of security tensions in Latakia and neighboring areas, stressing the need to take all measures to secure the stability of Syria and preserve the security of its people.
March 9
- The Ministry of Defense announced that it had begun the second phase of the military operation against the remnants of the former regime by combing mountain villages.
- Order was restored in most of the main cities and remaining clashes were concentrated in the countryside of Latakia and Jableh.
- The Syrian presidency announced the formation of an independent national committee to investigate the bloody events on the Syrian coast and the attacks on public institutions, security personnel, and the army. The committee of seven independent Syrian judges was given 30 days to present its findings.
- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed grave concern over reports of entire families being killed in the northwest of the country, calling for an immediate cessation of violence.
- A systematic disinformation campaign, probably led by Russia and Iran, began on social media claiming that Syrian Christians were being exterminated. The campaign featured postings from fake accounts supporting the former regime, and believed to be run from outside Syria with foreign funding. The campaign published fabricated photos of personalities and odd events that never happened and that were officially denied by independent media outlets.
- The Syrian President issued a decree establishing a high committee, composed of independent civilian figures from the Syrian coastal governorates, to maintain civil peace in the coastal region, to communicate with the affected communities, to address security concerns, and to promote national reconciliation.
March 10
- Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar warned of the escalation of violence in Syria and accused Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham militia of committing a massacre against Alawite civilians, stressing Israel’s continued readiness to defend the Golan and Galilee areas against any threat.
- Russia and the United States called for a closed session of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in Syria.
March 14
- The UN Security Council issued a unanimous statement reflecting the consensus of its 15 members. It was remarkable that there was a Russian-American consensus in the Security Council on Syria considering the major political disputes between these two permanent members.
The views expressed in this publication are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Arab Center Washington DC, its staff, or its Board of Directors.
Featured image credit: Alikhbaria Syria
