Pro-government demonstration held in Syria’s Latakia

LATAKIA, Syria/ISTANBUL

Hundreds of civilians gathered in Syria’s Latakia on Tuesday to express support for the government forces following recent incidents in the province.

People assembled in Sheikh Dahir Square in the center of Latakia, holding banners with Arabic messages, including: “The forces of the deposed regime have destroyed the infrastructure,” “The Al-Sharaa government represents me,” and “We stand with the security forces.”

Some demonstrators carried flags of the Syrian Free Army, while others displayed photos of security personnel who died in clashes between March 6 and 10.

The sectarian strife that the deposed regime forces attempted to incite has failed, protester Rana al-Sayyid told Anadolu. "We will stand united until the end. We completely reject separatism. May God protect our security forces."

Another demonstrator, Muna al-Sayyid, condemned attacks carried out by the deposed regime forces and expressed condolences for fallen security personnel.

Muawiya Sahyouni, another participant, emphasized that no one in Syria should be forcibly displaced. “Everyone is our family. We do not want any Alawite to be displaced. Our country is exhausted from war,” Sahyouni said.

Bilal Salouha echoed the sentiment, urging an end to the ongoing conflict. “We are tired of bloodshed. We also ask those living abroad to return to their hometowns,” he said.

Last week, Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus witnessed coordinated attacks by loyalists of the deposed Bashar al-Assad regime. These were the most intense assaults since the regime’s collapse, targeting security patrols and checkpoints, resulting in casualties.

After the collapse of the Assad regime in December, the new Syrian authorities launched an initiative to settle the status of former regime members in the military and security forces, contingent on their surrendering weapons and remaining untainted by bloodshed.

While tens of thousands accepted the initiative, some armed groups made up of regime remnants, particularly in the coastal region where high-ranking Assad officers were stationed, rejected it.

Over time, these groups fled to the mountainous areas, stirring tensions, destabilizing the region, and launching sporadic attacks against government forces in recent weeks.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.