Beirut: Syrian security forces intervened with gunfire on Monday to disperse two rival demonstrations in the coastal province of Latakia, the heartland of President Bashar al-Assad’s Alawite community. According to witnesses and activists, the rare public confrontation exposed widening tensions within a region long considered unwaveringly loyal to the Syrian leadership.
The clashes took place in Jableh and near parts of Latakia city, where two groups gathered one calling for economic reforms and improved services, and another rallying in support of the government. As the rival crowds grew and began shouting at each other, security forces moved in swiftly. Witnesses reported that officers fired live rounds into the air to scatter both groups, an unusually forceful response in a region tightly controlled by the regime.
Local activists said the unrest erupted after weeks of frustration over deteriorating living conditions, power outages, and rising prices across government-held territories. While Syria’s economy has been in decline for years, the discontent surfacing publicly in an Alawite-majority area highlights the depth of economic hardship felt even among communities historically supportive of Assad.
According to initial reports, several people were injured during the dispersal, though no deaths were confirmed. Videos shared online though not independently verified showed crowds fleeing as shots were fired and security personnel attempted to push demonstrators back into nearby streets.
Residents in Latakia, speaking anonymously due to security fears, described growing fatigue and anxiety among families who have endured years of conflict, shrinking incomes, and diminishing state support. Some said that while loyalty to the government remains strong, patience is weakening as essential services continue to collapse.
Analysts note that protests of this kind in the Alawite region are highly unusual and may signal deeper fractures emerging within Assad’s traditional support base. The government has not yet released an official statement regarding the incident.
As tensions simmer, Monday’s confrontation underscores the challenges facing Syrian authorities as they attempt to maintain control amid worsening economic turmoil and rising public frustration even in the areas they once considered politically secure.