In Syria, more than 70 people including 16 security personnel were killed and dozens were wounded in violent clashes between Syrian security forces and gunmen loyal to deposed ruler Bashar al-Assad in the coastal province of Latakia today.
The violence erupted in Jableh, a town in Latakia province, as security forces launched operations to root out Assad loyalists who have regrouped in the mountainous coastal region. The clashes began when gunmen linked to an Assad-era commander, Suhail al-Hassan, attacked security patrols and checkpoints. In response, government forces launched helicopter strikes on a village in Latakia. Security forces have been deployed in and around Jableh to restore order.

The latest violence is part of Syria’s ongoing instability following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. His ouster, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels, marked the end of his 24-year rule and the Assad family’s five-decade hold on power.