Syria Violent Clashes: Security Forces Tighten Grip, Al-Sharaa Calls for Peace
After days of violent clashes with armed groups in the coastal region of Syria, the Syrian Interior Ministry has sent reinforcements to bolster security in the region.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Transitional President, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, called for national unity, as the Ministry of Defense announced the beginning of the second phase of operations to hunt armed groups in rural and mountainous areas.
Restoring Calm
On Sunday, Syria’s Ministry of Interior said that the Public Security Department had sent additional reinforcements to al-Qadmous area in the countryside of Tartous in order to restore calm and maintain security, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported.
Furthermore, the Public Security Department had dispatched forces across neighborhoods in Lattakia city to maintain security and prevent thefts.
Beginning of Phase 2
The Syrian Ministry of Defense spokesperson, Hassan Abdul Ghani, announced on Sunday the start of the second phase of military operations, which aim to hunt down militants affiliated with armed groups in rural and mountainous area.
Abdul Ghani noted that the second phase of the operations involves plans to encircling fugitives to eliminate any security threats, according to SANA. He called on civilians to avoid areas of operations.
Syria Deadly Clashes
Violent clashes erupted on Thursday in the Latakia and Tartous regions on the Mediterranean coast after armed groups launched what the Syrian authorities called “a deadly and well-planned attack” on their forces.
The clashes, one of the deadliest since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, have left more than 1,000 dead, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). This figure includes 745 civilians, 125 government security force members, and 148 gunmen.
Internet Blackout in Southern Syria
Telecommunications and internet services have been restored in the governorates of Daraa and Sweida after a blackout on Saturday night. According to the Director of Daraa Telecom’s Branch, Ahmad al-Hariri, the outage was caused by damage to the optical cable linking Daraa and Damascus governorates.
The repeated attacks on the telecommunications infrastructure led to the cutting of the vital optical cable, causing disruption in the telecommunications and internet services, he told SANA.
A Call for Unity and Peace
Amid the ongoing tensions, Syria’s transitional President, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, said that the recent developments are within “the expected challenges,” according to Asharq Al-Awsat.
Early on Sunday, Al-Sharaa appeared in a video speaking at a mosque in Mazzah neighborhood in Damascus. “Rest assured about Syria, this country has the characteristics for survival… What is happening in the country are expected challenges,” he said.
Moreover, Al-Sharaa called for national unity and peace. “We must preserve national unity and civil peace in the country. We are capable of living together in this country, as much as we can,” he added.
Jordan Security Meeting
A high-level meeting for Syria’s neighboring countries kicked off in Jordan on Sunday, with the attendance of representatives of Syria, Türkiye, Iraq and Lebanon, reported Jordan News Agency (Petra).
The meeting discussed the significance of practical coordination between Syria and its neighboring countries on regional security challenges. These included countering terrorism, maintaining border security, and preventing drug and arms trafficking, in addition to other shared concerns.
The meeting saw the attendance of foreign and defense ministers, as well as chiefs of staff and intelligence agency directors from Jordan, Türkiye, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.
