Numerous casualties reported amid clashes between opposition factions and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham in Syria
In Syria, intense clashes between Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants and armed opposition factions have reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 70 individuals, with scores more sustaining injuries in the western regions of the country.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Friday through a post on platform X that casualties occurred along the Syrian coast following an ambush on Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants.
According to a report by a UK-based war monitoring group, a violent conflict in the coastal town of Jableh and nearby villages within Latakia Governorate has resulted in the deaths of 48 individuals.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a series of coordinated attacks have emerged as the most significant offensive against Syria’s current leadership since the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad in early December of the previous year.
At least 16 militants from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) were killed in clashes on Thursday in the Mediterranean province of Latakia, a region predominantly inhabited by Alawites and Shia Muslims.
The area hosts the Hmeimim air base, a critical military installation in Syria under Russian operation.
Opposition groups initiated a strategic operation following earlier reports from monitoring agencies indicating that helicopter strikes targeted the village of Beit Ana and its adjacent forests, alongside artillery bombardments on a nearby settlement.
In response to recent helicopter strikes purportedly targeting civilian residences, Alawite leaders issued a statement via Facebook, urging the community to engage in “peaceful protests.”
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) authorities have instituted overnight curfews in the coastal port city of Latakia, the port city of Tartus, and the western city of Homs, according to sources.
Tensions flared in the village of Beit Ana, renowned as the hometown of Suhail al-Hassan, a past senior commander in the Syrian army under Bashar al-Assad’s regime, when local residents intervened to stop HTS militants from detaining a person within the village.
Hassan is said to have led an elite special operations unit referred to as the Tiger Forces, according to reports.
