Syria’s interim government today announced the end of a military operation against insurgents loyal to ousted president Bashar al-Assad after days of intense fighting.
Clashes erupted on Thursday after Alawite gunmen attacked a police patrol near Lattakia, spreading violence across Syria’s coastal region. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 1,130 deaths, mostly civilians, though the figures remain unverified.
Interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa condemned retaliatory attacks on Alawite civilians, pledging an investigation. Thousands fled to Lebanon, where authorities report over 6,000 new arrivals.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed support for Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities.