Syria in chaos: New leader’s bloodbath marks devastating turn for the country

The violence erupted on Thursday, when 16 government troops were ambushed near the coastal cities of Jableh and Latakia. These soldiers, believed to be loyal to the fallen dictator Bashar al-Assad, were attacked during routine security patrols, leaving bodies scattered along the coastal highway.

The attack ignited fury across Syria. News spread quickly, and soon, crowds gathered outside mosques in Idlib, demanding revenge for the assault. At one demonstration, an imam reportedly called for “jihad” against those responsible, amplifying the already volatile situation.

By nightfall, military convoys began heading toward the coast. Pickup trucks loaded with fighters and weapons poured out of Idlib, Aleppo, and Homs, as young fighters fired AK-47s into the air. Videos of the chaos flooded Syrian social media, capturing the growing intensity of the conflict.

In response, government forces unleashed tanks and artillery, targeting suspected militia strongholds. Civilian areas, including apartment buildings and shops, were destroyed, leaving innocent civilians with no means of escape. Witnesses reported that ground forces conducted house-to-house raids that far exceeded what would be considered legitimate security operations.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that around 750 civilians, including Alawites, Christians, and Druze, have been killed, alongside 125 security personnel and 148 Assad loyalists. The violence marks a devastating shift for Syria’s new government, which had gained some international credibility following the fall of Assad in December.

Interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, once seen as a beacon of stability, had been working to build diplomatic ties with the Arab world and the West. However, his vision now seems on the brink of collapse amid the ongoing bloodshed.

International condemnation has been swift, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling the violence as the work of “radical Islamic terrorists,” while Israel blamed the new "Islamist rulers" for their brutal treatment of civilians.