Daijiworld Media Network - Latakia
Latakia, Dec 31: Syrian authorities have imposed an overnight curfew in the coastal city of Latakia following deadly attacks on predominantly Alawite neighbourhoods, as security tensions escalate in the country’s western coastal region.
The Ministry of Interior announced that the curfew will remain in effect from 5 pm Tuesday to 6 am Wednesday (local time). The measure comes after unidentified individuals attacked Alawite-majority areas on Monday, damaging vehicles and vandalising shops.
State media reported that 21 people were arrested in connection with the attacks. Authorities described them as “former regime remnants involved in criminal acts, sectarian incitement, and targeting internal security forces.”
The unrest follows violent protests by Alawite community members in response to a bombing in Homs, which left at least three people dead, including a member of the security forces.
Syria’s new President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who came to power after the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, faces the challenge of stabilising the country and asserting authority across a fractured nation. Government troops have been deployed to Latakia and Tartous to monitor the situation, enhance security, and ensure the safety of citizens and property.
Latakia, part of Syria’s coastal heartland, has a mixed population including Alawite and Sunni communities. Alawites, who held prominent positions under the al-Assad government, have increasingly been targeted since the previous regime’s fall. Hundreds were killed in coastal areas in March, highlighting ongoing vulnerability despite government assurances of protection for all communities.
The curfew and intensified security presence underscore the fragility of stability in Syria’s post-al-Assad era.