Over 70 killed in Syria clashes between govt forces and Assad loyalists |

Over 70 people were killed and dozens wounded in clashes between Syrian government security forces and loyalists of deposed President Bashar al-Assad, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The deadly fighting erupted in the coastal town of Jableh and surrounding villages, marking one of the most violent attacks against the new authorities since the Assad regime was toppled in December.

The violence, involving ambushes and direct confrontations, resulted in the death of 48 people on Thursday alone.

The Observatory reported that 16 government personnel were killed by pro-Assad fighters, and 28 Assad loyalists, along with four civilians, were also killed during the ongoing violence.

The clashes are part of a larger series of confrontations between Assad loyalists and Syria’s new security forces, tasked with rooting out remnants of the old regime.

In Latakia, a stronghold of Assad’s Alawite minority, the security forces clashed with armed groups loyal to former special forces commander Suhail al-Hassan, known as “The Tiger,” who has long been a key figure in Assad’s military successes.

The Syrian government responded with airstrikes, targeting rebel positions and bombarding key locations with helicopters. The military also arrested former Air Force intelligence head General Ibrahim Huweija, a key figure from the Assad era, accused of involvement in numerous assassinations during Hafez al-Assad’s rule.

Curfews were imposed across Alawite-majority areas, including Latakia, Tartus, and Homs, as the government sought to restore order.

Pro-Assad militias have clashed with security forces in several areas, with tensions rising after a series of failed arrests and escalating violence.

The continuing violence highlights the volatile situation in Syria, where the power vacuum left after Assad’s ouster continues to lead to infighting and resistance from loyalist factions.