Syrian leader Farouk al-Sharaa has called for unity and stability amid escalating violence in the country. “We must preserve national unity and internal peace. We can live together,” Sharaa stated in a video quoted by Reuters, speaking at a mosque in his childhood neighborhood of Mazzah, Damascus.
The recent clashes, which began on Thursday, represent a significant challenge to Sharaa’s government, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The violence comes just three months after the group seized control following the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power.
Assad was ousted in December after decades of iron-fisted rule by his family, a period marked by authoritarianism and brutal conflict. Despite this, the Alawite community had long provided a key base of support for him.
Authorities have attributed the recent deadly raids and executions targeting Alawites to rogue armed groups allied with security forces. These militias, in turn, have blamed Assad’s former supporters for past atrocities.
Fighting continued overnight in multiple towns. A security official told Reuters that pro-Assad insurgents had escalated their campaign, carrying out hit-and-run attacks on several public infrastructure sites over the past 24 hours.
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