Clashes in Syria's coastal region between government forces and Assad loyalists kill more than 70

LATAKIA, Syria (AP) — Clashes between Syrian security forces and gunmen loyal to former President Bashar Assad in the country’s coastal region have left more than 70 people dead and an area outside government control, a war monitor said Friday.

Government forces sent major reinforcements overnight to the cities of Latakia and Tartus as well as nearby towns and villages that are the heartland of the minority Alawite sect and a base of support for Assad, to try to get the situation under control, state media reported.

The clashes are the worst since Assad was removed from power in early December by insurgent groups led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. Since Assad’s fall, there have been some sectarian attacks against members of the minority Alawite sect, despite the fact that officially the new authorities have said they are against collective punishment or sectarian vengeance. Members of Assad’s Alawite sect had held top posts in the country, mainly in the army and security agencies, until Assad’s fall.

The government in Damascus has blamed Assad loyalists for carrying out attacks over the past weeks against security forces. Thursday witnessed the most serious escalation as the attacks appeared to be more coordinated.

On Friday morning, large numbers of troops were deployed in Latakia and no civilians were seen in the street as a curfew that was imposed in the city and other coastal areas remains in force. Members of the security force said there were some clashes in one of the city’s neighborhoods but most of the city was calm and under government control.

Monitors say dozens have died and several areas are under the control of Assad loyalists

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said that since the clashes began on Thursday afternoon, 35 members of government forces, 32 fighters loyal to Assad and four civilians have been killed.

The Observatory’s chief Rami Abdurrahman said the outskirts of the coastal towns of Baniyas and Jableh are still under the control of Assad loyalists. He added that Assad’s hometown of Qardaha and many Alawite villages nearby are also outside government control.

A Qardaha resident told The Associated Press via text messages that The situation “is very bad.” The resident, who asked that his name not be made public for safety reasons, said government forces are firing with heavy machine guns on residential areas in Qardaha.

Another resident said that they have not been able to leave their homes since Thursday afternoon because of the intensity of the shooting.

Concerns the fighting could stoke more sectarian tensions

Gregory Waters, an associate fellow with the Middle East Institute who has conducted research in Syria’s coastal areas, said he does not necessarily expect the flareup in violence along the coast to escalate into major sustained fighting between the two sides. But Waters said he is concerned that it could stoke sectarian tensions and cycles of violence between different civilian communities living along the coast.

Any violations by security forces during the crackdown on the armed groups “will also leave young Alawite men more fearful of the new government authorities and more prone to being recruited to bear arms,” Waters said.

Abdurrahman said the clashes began when a security force tried to detain a wanted person near Jableh and was ambushed by Assad loyalists.

People ask Russia for help

On Friday, scores of people gathered outside the main Russian air base in Syria near Jableh asking for protection from Moscow. Russia joined Syria's conflict in 2015, siding with Assad, although it has opened links with the new authorities after his fall. Assad has been living in Moscow since leaving Syria in December.

Asked about the outbreak of fighting in the coastal region and possible threats to Russian troops, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded that “security of our military is ensured on a proper level.”

“I wouldn’t comment on the operational situation as we don’t know details,” Peskov said during a conference call with reporters.

Syria’s conflict that began in March 2011 has left more than half a million people dead and millions displaced.

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Associated Press writers Abby Sewell and Bassem Mroue contributed to this report from Beirut.