Recent violence highlights the struggle for an integrated military in a divided nation
Syria's Ongoing Violence Reflects Weak Control of New Government
Syria's Ongoing Violence Reflects Weak Control of New Government
Sectarian Strife Poses Challenges for Leadership Amid Attempts at Unification
In March 2025, Syria witnessed a troubling surge of violence that has thrown a spotlight on the newly established government's fragile grip on security. While President's initiatives to coalesce various armed factions into a unified military have been vocalized, the unfortunate reality is that this aspiration remains far from achievement, as recent events starkly demonstrated.
The chaos erupted with a coordinated attack on March 6 by insurgents linked to the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime against government forces in the coastal regions, primarily in provinces that serve as the Alawite community's epicenter. The government’s reaction was to rally its security forces, which saw contributions from multiple militia factions and civilians, according to reports from human rights organizations and on-the-ground observers.
The violence escalated as these groups, some under government authority while many were not, launched a wave of violence across Tartus and Latakia. Reports emerged of indiscriminate killings targeting suspected insurgents, but the overreaching harm also included severe assaults on residential neighborhoods, with accounts of home destruction, arson, and sectarian-driven killings directed against Alawite civilians.
In light of this turbulence, analysts noted a significant demographic disparity: the newly formed government and its security forces predominantly consist of Syria's Sunni majority, whereas the victims of this escalating violence were largely from the Alawite minority. The Assad regime's long-standing favoritism towards Alawites has left many Sunnis associating this sect with the oppressive tactics used during the grueling 13-year civil conflict.
Amidst the ongoing upheaval, civilians are finding themselves trapped between groups vying for power and a regime struggling to maintain law and order, with many seeking refuge across the border into Lebanon to escape the violence that characterizes their homeland.
The chaos erupted with a coordinated attack on March 6 by insurgents linked to the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime against government forces in the coastal regions, primarily in provinces that serve as the Alawite community's epicenter. The government’s reaction was to rally its security forces, which saw contributions from multiple militia factions and civilians, according to reports from human rights organizations and on-the-ground observers.
The violence escalated as these groups, some under government authority while many were not, launched a wave of violence across Tartus and Latakia. Reports emerged of indiscriminate killings targeting suspected insurgents, but the overreaching harm also included severe assaults on residential neighborhoods, with accounts of home destruction, arson, and sectarian-driven killings directed against Alawite civilians.
In light of this turbulence, analysts noted a significant demographic disparity: the newly formed government and its security forces predominantly consist of Syria's Sunni majority, whereas the victims of this escalating violence were largely from the Alawite minority. The Assad regime's long-standing favoritism towards Alawites has left many Sunnis associating this sect with the oppressive tactics used during the grueling 13-year civil conflict.
Amidst the ongoing upheaval, civilians are finding themselves trapped between groups vying for power and a regime struggling to maintain law and order, with many seeking refuge across the border into Lebanon to escape the violence that characterizes their homeland.
