Syria security forces execute 52 Alawites in Latakia

A Syrian war monitor has reported that security forces carried out the execution of 52 Alawite men in Latakia province, an area historically known as a stronghold for the Alawite community, to which the Assad family belongs. The executions occurred in the towns of Al-Shir and Al-Mukhtariya, according to a monitoring group that says it verified the information through video footage and testimonies gathered from relatives of those killed.

The executions follow intense clashes that erupted on Thursday between security forces and armed groups loyal to former president Bashar al-Assad. The fighting broke out in Latakia, the spiritual and political center of the Alawite minority, an offshoot sect of Shia Islam closely tied to the Assad regime.

Footage released by activists and the monitoring group depicted the aftermath, showing dozens of lifeless bodies in civilian clothing lying in a courtyard, with blood visible on the ground and grieving women crying nearby. Another video clip showed armed men in military uniforms forcing three individuals to crawl on the ground before executing them at point-blank range.

Rising Death Toll in Post-Assad Crackdown

The executions and battles in Latakia are part of a wider crackdown by Syria’s new authorities, who have been aggressively pursuing remnants of the Assad regime since Islamist-led rebels ousted Bashar al-Assad from power on December 8. The new leadership has particularly focused on dismantling pockets of Alawite resistance in the central and western parts of the country, where many of Assad’s loyalists remain.

In addition to the 52 reported executions, the clashes over the past 24 hours have resulted in at least 72 more deaths, including 36 security personnel, 32 pro-Assad gunmen, and four civilians. These additional fatalities bring the total death toll in Latakia since Thursday to at least 124, according to the monitoring group.

The situation in Latakia highlights the complex sectarian and political tensions that persist even after the fall of Assad, with the Alawite community—long associated with his rule—now facing violent reprisals as Syria’s new rulers seek to consolidate power and eliminate any perceived threats from Assad loyalists.