A Surge in Violence: The Bloodiest Conflict in Years

Syria has witnessed its deadliest outbreak of violence in years, following a military operation against remnants of the former Assad regime. Since Thursday, clashes between government forces and Assad loyalists have resulted in 779 deaths, including civilians, state security forces, and armed fighters.

What started as a confrontation between armed groups quickly escalated into communal killings, with verified footage showing government loyalists executing individuals and referring to “purifying” the country.

Why Has Sectarian Violence Erupted Again?

The conflict reignited in the coastal Latakia province, the heartland of former leader Bashar al-Assad, where his Alawite sect had long held power. The Alawites, a minority Shiite sect in predominantly Sunni Syria, were closely associated with Assad’s regime. His ouster in December by Sunni Islamist militants seeking to reshape Syria’s political order created deep sectarian tensions.

Under Assad, many opponents viewed the Alawites as complicit in the brutalities of his rule. However, the new interim government, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, had pledged inclusivity and equal representation across Syria’s diverse ethnic and religious communities. The violence over the past few days, however, underscores Syria’s fragile transition.

On Thursday, Syria’s state-run SANA news agency reported that Assad loyalists attacked government checkpoints, triggering deadly clashes. Over the weekend, these hostilities spiraled into communal killings, with eyewitnesses and video evidence confirming field executions.

Who Is Responsible for the Killings?

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) provided a breakdown of the casualties:

• Pro-Assad groups were responsible for 383 deaths, including 172 state security forces and 211 civilians.
• Government forces and their allies killed 396 people, including civilians and disarmed militants.

How Has the New Syrian Government Responded?

Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa blamed the violence on Assad’s remaining forces, accusing them of inciting sectarian conflict. On Sunday, he vowed accountability for all involved in the bloodshed and announced the creation of an independent investigation committee, tasked with:

• Identifying those responsible for civilian deaths.
• Investigating attacks on public institutions and security forces.
• Recommending judicial action against perpetrators.

Sharaa reiterated that “Syria is a state of law”, emphasizing that the government “will rectify the situation as much as we can.”

How Has the World Reacted?

The violence threatens to derail Sharaa’s efforts to rebuild diplomatic ties and ease sanctions imposed during Assad’s rule. Global reactions have been swift:

• United States: Condemned “radical Islamist terrorists” responsible for massacres in western Syria. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged accountability for perpetrators.
• European Union: Expressed concern over civilian casualties and called for the protection of civilians under international law.
• Turkey & Iran: Exchanged accusations over destabilizing actions in Syria, fueling diplomatic tensions.
• Russia: Reports indicate Syrians seeking protection at the Russian-run Khmeimim Air Base in Latakia.

Are Foreign Powers Involved?

Syria has long been a battleground for competing regional and global powers, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, the U.S., Russia, and Turkey. In past conflicts, foreign fighters have played key roles, and recent social media footage suggests some may still be active.

As tensions flared, Turkey and Iran exchanged warnings over interference in Syria. Meanwhile, satellite images from March 10 show crowds seeking refuge at a Russian military base in Latakia.

What’s Next for Syria?

Experts warn that Syria’s sectarian divisions, fueled by over 13 years of conflict, will not disappear overnight. Deep-rooted grievances and calls for revenge pose ongoing risks to stability.

Key factors that will shape Syria’s future include:

• Government inclusivity: Avoiding marginalization of the Alawite community.
• Justice & accountability: Ensuring perpetrators face consequences.
• International engagement: Rebuilding trust with Western and regional powers.

The European Union remains open to working with Syria’s interim government if stability is restored. Meanwhile, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon recently called for lifting sanctions to aid Syria’s recovery.

Final Thoughts

Syria’s transition remains fragile, and the latest violence highlights the challenges ahead. Without addressing underlying tensions and ensuring justice, the risk of future unrest looms large.

While Sharaa insists his government is committed to stability, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Syria moves toward reconciliation or deeper conflict.

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In a historic turn of events, Syria’s ruling Baath party, which had governed the country for over six decades, is now unraveling. Following the fall of President Bashar Assad, insurgents have forced the party into disarray. The Baath party, a pillar of the Assad regime, announced it was freezing its activities, signaling the dramatic end of an era.

The fall of the Baath party has led to a shift in power in Syria. Many high-ranking members of the party have gone into hiding, and some have fled the country entirely. In a symbolic move, the new ruling authorities have repurposed the former party headquarters in Damascus into a registration center for ex-members of the army and security forces, where they must turn in their weapons.

Calls for the formal dissolution of the Arab Socialist Baath Party, which had ruled Syria since 1963, have intensified. Many former party members and ordinary Syrians alike are vocal about the party’s role in the country’s corruption and its damaging impact on relations with other Arab states.

A Longtime Party Member Speaks Out

Mohammed Hussein Ali, 64, a former state oil company worker who was a Baath member for decades, reflected on the regime’s collapse. “The party should not only be dissolved, it should go to hell,” he said, expressing satisfaction over the end of Baath rule. Ali had quit the party in 2011 at the start of Syria’s anti-government uprising, which eventually led to the civil war.

The Future of the Baath Party

A representative from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group that led the offensive against Assad’s regime, has hinted at a possible reckoning for Baath party officials. The HTS leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, stated that those who committed crimes against the Syrian people would be brought to justice, which could include former Baath members.

Founded in 1947 by Syrian Arab nationalists Michel Aflaq and Salaheddine Bitar, the Baath party once aimed to unite Arab countries under one banner. It had a significant presence in Iraq, where Saddam Hussein ruled before being ousted in 2003. In Syria, the party became synonymous with the Assad family, which has used its control over the Baath to maintain power since 1970. Over the years, Assad’s regime bolstered the party’s influence, appointing members of the Alawite sect, the family’s minority group, to key military positions and blending nationalist rhetoric with sectarian rule.

Former Baathists Reflect on Their Role

Abdul-Rahman Ali, a former soldier and Baath party member, recounted his experience of living under the regime’s control. Ali, now 43, had no idea that the Baath party was founded by Aflaq and Bitar, as he had always assumed Hafez Assad, Bashar’s late father, was the founder. “I am happy. We have been liberated from fear,” Ali said, describing how Syrians were too afraid to speak freely due to the pervasive surveillance of the security agencies. These agencies, notorious for their brutality, would detain and torture anyone suspected of opposing the regime.

Many Syrians were required to join the Baath Vanguards, the party’s youth branch, as early as elementary school, where they were indoctrinated with Arab nationalist and socialist ideology. The party’s grip on the country meant that non-members found it nearly impossible to secure government jobs, military positions, or roles in the intelligence services.

A New Era or Sectarian Reprisals?

As the Baath party crumbles, some Syrians fear that the Sunni majority now in control of the country could engage in a “de-Baathification” process similar to what occurred in post-Saddam Iraq. In Iraq, the de-Baathification campaign, which aimed to purge Saddam loyalists from government institutions, resulted in sectarian tensions and contributed to the rise of extremist groups such as al-Qaida and ISIS.

While few mourn the Baath party’s collapse, there are concerns that targeting former party members could further fuel sectarian divides in Syria, particularly given the Sunni-majority control now in place.

A Party Member’s Last Stand

Despite the growing calls for dissolution, some Baath party members still hope for its revival under a reformed, multiparty democracy. Mohammed Merhi, a former army colonel and Baath party member, was among those who lined up to surrender his weapons at the former party headquarters. Merhi acknowledged the flaws within the party, but he believes its core principles, which aim for Arab unity, are worth preserving.

“I want to become again a normal Syrian citizen and work to build a new Syria,” Merhi said after handing over his Soviet Makarov pistol and receiving a document that allowed him to move freely within the country. His hope is that Syria can move beyond the corruption and authoritarianism that defined the Baath era and build a new future based on democratic principles.

Conclusion

As Syria grapples with the collapse of the Baath party, the country stands at a crossroads. While many welcome the end of a regime that has long been associated with repression, corruption, and sectarian division, the future remains uncertain. The challenge now is to rebuild a Syria that can heal from decades of conflict, ensuring that the lessons of the past are not repeated in the pursuit of a more just and inclusive society.

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Damascus, Syria –  Syrian military airbase on the outskirts of Damascus on Monday, revealing the devastation caused by Israeli airstrikes. Israel has stated its intent to destroy weapons and military hardware accumulated by the Assad regime over decades, to prevent these resources from falling into the hands of extremists.

Since Bashar al-Assad fled Syria for Russia earlier this month—forced out by a surprise rebel offensive after years of civil war—Israeli airstrikes have relentlessly targeted Syria’s military infrastructure. Assad’s departure marked the end of a decade-long conflict, which, until recently, seemed to have reached a deadlock.

Massive Strikes on Syrian Military Sites

The damage inflicted on Assad’s forces has been immense. One overnight strike in the coastal city of Tartus, home to Russia’s naval base, was so powerful it registered on the Richter scale as the equivalent of a magnitude-3 earthquake. The Russian military quickly evacuated most of its ships from Tartus after Assad’s fall, and while Russia’s Ministry of Defense is still negotiating its next steps, its forces are in flux.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military reports that it has dealt significant blows to Assad’s military arsenal. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that Israeli fighter jets have destroyed “over 90% of Syria’s strategic surface-to-air missiles.” These strikes have targeted a wide range of military assets, including fighter jets, helicopters, Scud missiles, UAVs, cruise missiles, precision-guided missiles, radars, and rockets.

Rebels Take Control as Israel Launches Ground Incursion

The rapid takeover of Syria by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group, now the country’s de-facto rulers, has led to further Israeli incursions. IDF forces have moved past the Golan Heights into a previously demilitarized buffer zone in Syria. HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa criticized Israel’s military actions but emphasized his group’s focus on rebuilding the state rather than engaging in conflict with Israel. HTS, once affiliated with al-Qaeda, has distanced itself from extremism, claiming its intention to form a secular administration.

The damage to Syria’s military infrastructure has exposed deep-rooted issues of corruption and neglect. Years of mismanagement and ongoing conflict have left much of Assad’s military hardware outdated and poorly maintained. As Assad’s forces surrendered or abandoned their posts, the Syrian military’s disarray became evident.

Assad Speaks Out from Exile

In his first public statement since fleeing Syria, Assad claimed he never planned to resign and only left for Russia due to the escalating threat from rebels. He described taking refuge in the Russian-run Hmeimim airbase as the rebels closed in on Damascus. After a drone attack on the base on December 8, Assad said evacuation orders were given. He expressed sorrow over Syria’s fall into the hands of “terrorism,” but insisted he had no choice but to flee.

The statement was initially posted on the Syrian Presidency’s official Telegram channel but was quickly deleted, only to reappear on the Telegram and Facebook pages shortly after.

Focus on Assad’s Weapons Stockpiles

As the international community grapples with how to deal with HTS, both Israel and the United States remain focused on preventing Syria’s stockpiled weapons from being exploited by extremist groups. Israel’s military campaign has been one of the most aggressive airstrikes Syria has seen in years, continuing just days after Assad’s sudden departure.

Syria’s Devastated Military

Whoever ultimately gains control of Syria will inherit a fractured military infrastructure. With Assad’s forces in disarray and most of the country’s weapons in ruins, it’s clear that Israel’s strikes were aimed at weakening Syria’s defense capabilities for years to come. According to the IDF, these efforts represent a significant achievement in the region’s ongoing power dynamics.

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Russia launched a series of air strikes in Syria on Sunday, targeting key rebel positions as opposition forces advanced toward the south. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the strikes killed four people and wounded 50 others in Idlib, a city in north-western Syria. Rural areas of Idlib and Hama, recently captured by rebel groups, were also hit.

This latest offensive, which began earlier in the week, marks some of the fiercest fighting in Syria’s civil war in recent years. Since Wednesday, over 300 people have been killed, including at least 20 civilians.

Rebels Take Aleppo Amid Russian Strikes

For the first time since 2016, Russian forces carried out air strikes on Aleppo on Saturday. Rebel fighters, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), made significant gains in the city, capturing large sections with minimal resistance. Aleppo, once a stronghold of the opposition, fell to government forces in 2016, but it is now back in rebel hands.

The rebels have pushed southward, advancing into several towns near Hama, Syria’s fourth-largest city. Syrian forces have drawn up defensive lines around key towns in the region, with both Syrian and Russian warplanes intensifying air strikes on rebel positions. These strikes have resulted in multiple casualties.

Syrian Military Responds

The Syrian military has reinforced its defenses in the region, deploying additional troops, heavy artillery, and rocket launchers. The government claims to have recaptured several towns from the rebels and stopped their advance. President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to protect Syria’s stability, promising to eliminate the terrorist threat with the help of allies, including Russia and Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Aragchi, expressed his country’s full support for the Syrian government and military, signaling continued backing in the face of the ongoing offensive.

The State of Syria’s Civil War

The Syrian civil war began in 2011, when protests against Assad’s government were met with violent crackdowns. Since then, the war has claimed the lives of nearly half a million people. While much of the fighting has died down since a 2020 ceasefire, opposition forces continue to control Idlib and surrounding areas.

Idlib is located just 55 km from Aleppo, which was previously a rebel stronghold. The current offensive, spearheaded by HTS and allied factions backed by Turkey, is the largest escalation in the region in years.

Rebels Gain Ground and Impose Curfew

Rebels have taken control of Aleppo’s airport and several nearby towns. A curfew has been imposed, starting at 5 p.m. local time. The rebels have also advanced southward toward Hama, while the Syrian army reportedly withdrew from some areas. However, state media disputes these claims, with military sources saying the rebels launched broad attacks along both the Aleppo and Idlib fronts, covering over 100 km of territory.

Russian Involvement in the Conflict

Russian air strikes in Aleppo and Idlib signal Moscow’s continued support for Assad. The strikes on Aleppo were the first since the city was recaptured from the opposition in 2016. The escalation is a sign that Russia remains heavily involved in Syria’s conflict, using air power to target rebel forces.

As the fighting intensifies, many residents of Aleppo are fleeing, with reports showing long lines of cars on roads leaving the city. Smoke was visible rising from the skyline, as people attempt to escape the violence.

The ongoing reliance on Russian and Iranian support, along with Syria’s failure to adhere to a 2015 UN peace plan, has contributed to the continued instability in the country, according to a U.S. spokesperson.

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