Syrian government troops, supported by tanks and armoured vehicles, were sent into Latakia and Tartous after clashes during protests left at least four people dead and 108 wounded. Authorities blamed "outlaw groups" and "remnants of the defunct regime," while witnesses reported masked gunmen firing on security forces. The unrest followed a mosque bombing in Homs that killed eight and sparked large Alawite demonstrations demanding federalism and the release of detainees. Tensions rose as pro- and antigovernment crowds confronted one another and security forces moved to restore order.
Syrian Troops Deployed to Latakia and Tartous After Deadly Clashes as Alawite Protests Escalate
Protesters from the Alawite religious minority demonstrate in Latakia on Sunday, days after a bomb in an Alawite mosque in Homs killed eight people and wounded 18 [Omar Albam/AP]
Syrian government forces, backed by tanks and armoured vehicles, were deployed to central areas of the coastal cities Latakia and Tartous after protests turned violent, leaving at least four people dead and 108 injured.
The deployment — ordered by the Ministry of Defence — was described as a response to attacks on civilians and security personnel by what officials called "outlaw groups." State news agency SANA quoted authorities as saying the violence in Latakia involved "remnants of the defunct regime" of former President Bashar al-Assad.
Independent and international media reported that clashes erupted when antigovernment demonstrators were confronted by pro-government crowds. Witnesses said masked gunmen opened fire on security forces. The Ministry of Interior confirmed that a police officer was among the dead. An Al Jazeera team said security personnel came under fire at the Azhari roundabout in Latakia, and two officers were wounded in Tartous after a hand grenade was detonated outside the al-Anaza police station in Baniyas.
The unrest came as thousands of Alawite Syrians rallied across the community's central and coastal heartland to protest violence and alleged discrimination. The demonstrations followed a deadly mosque bombing in Homs that killed eight people; the attack was claimed by a Sunni group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna.
The protests were organised by Ghazal Ghazal, an Alawite spiritual leader living abroad, who called for the community to demonstrate that it "cannot be humiliated or marginalised." Among the demonstrators' demands were calls for federalism — a decentralised system granting greater regional autonomy — and the release of Alawite detainees.
"We do not want a civil war, we want political federalism. We do not want your terrorism. We want to determine our own destiny," Ghazal said in a video message posted on Facebook.
On the streets, voices diverged. One antigovernment protester, Ali Hassan, told reporters he and others sought protection and an end to regular killings: "We just want to sleep in peace and work in peace, and we want federalism." Counterprotester Mohammad Bakkour said he joined to back the new government and accused antigovernment groups of trying to derail national reconstruction.
Authorities said the military presence aims to restore order and protect civilians and infrastructure. International and independent reporting agencies have called for calm and for transparent investigations into the violence and the Homs bombing. The situation remains tense, and further developments may affect security and political dynamics in the region.
