Intense clashes erupt in Syria’s Latakia after Assad loyalists attack hospitals

ISTANBUL

Intense clashes erupted on Saturday morning between Syrian government forces and remnants of the ousted Bashar Assad regime after their fighters targeted hospitals in the northwestern city of Latakia

Citing a security source in Latakia, the official Syrian news agency SANA reported: "The remnants of the fallen regime have launched an attack on the National Hospital in Latakia, and public security forces are countering it."

Syrian state television reported that violent clashes also broke out between the Syrian army and remnants of the ousted regime around Ibn Sina Hospital in the city of Latakia.

Escalating attacks on hospitals across the Latakia and Tartus governorates in western Syria have resulted in casualties, according to the Syrian Health Ministry on Friday.

“Six hospitals in the rural areas of Latakia and Tartus were directly attacked by remnants of the fallen regime last night, leading to the martyrdom of several individuals, the injury of others, and significant damage to infrastructure,” SANA quoted the ministry’s media office as saying.

The ministry labeled the targeting of hospitals as a "crime against humanity.”

In a related development, the Syrian Defense Ministry reported late Friday that it had foiled an attack by remnants of the ousted regime on the Syrian Navy command in the city of Latakia.

For the past three days, the coastal region of Syria has been in a heightened state of security tension following attacks by former regime elements on security patrols, which have resulted in the death of 11 members of the Syrian army.

Gayyas Delle, commander of a part of the deposed regime forces, and who was involved in ambushing security forces, announced the formation of a military council to overthrow the government.

Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period on Jan. 29.