Several areas along Syria’s Mediterranean coast witnessed protests by members of the Alawite religious minority, which organizers described as peaceful. The demonstrations followed a call by Ghazal Ghazal, a local Alawite cleric with influence in coastal communities, after a bombing targeted a mosque in the central Syrian city of Homs, killing and injuring worshippers.

The protests, however, quickly escalated into scattered tensions with local residents supportive of the Syrian authorities, who organized counter-demonstrations backing the government. Reports indicated that one member of the Syrian security forces and two protesters were killed, in addition to injuries on both sides.

The protests in the coastal city of Latakia, a stronghold of the Alawite community, took place on Sunday, two days after a bombing at a mosque frequented by Alawites that killed eight people. The attack, which occurred in an Alawite-majority neighborhood of Homs, was the latest incident targeting the religious minority, which has faced repeated acts of violence since the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Syrian security forces were deployed across Latakia and intervened to break up clashes between demonstrators and groups opposing the protests, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Ghazal, who is the head of the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria and the diaspora, urged people on Saturday to "show the world that the Alawite community cannot be humiliated or marginalized." In a video published on Facebook, he added, "We do not want a civil war, we want political federalism."

Protesters carried pictures of Sheikh Ghazal alongside banners expressing their support for him, while chanting demands for a decentralized political system.

Hadila Saleha, a 40-year-old housewife, said, "Our first demand is federalism to stop the bloodshed because Alawite blood is not cheap, nor is Syrian blood in general."

Injuries reported among the Internal Security Forces
The head of the Internal Security Forces in Syria’s Latakia province, Brigadier General Abdul Aziz al-Ahmad, spoke of "attacks by some terrorist elements affiliated with remnants of the defunct regime, during the protests called for by Ghazal Ghazal, on internal security forces in Latakia Governorate, in the cities of Latakia and Jableh, causing injuries to some of our forces, and damage to special mission and police vehicles."

Government-affiliated Syrian media reported that security forces faced attacks while securing the demonstrations. Circulating videos showed security personnel being fired upon by unidentified gunmen during protests near the al-Azhari roundabout in Latakia.

A dangerous escalation

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described the events as a “dangerous escalation,” saying that dozens of demonstrators in Latakia and Jableh were wounded after being attacked with gunfire and bladed weapons by general security forces and supporters of the Syrian authorities.

The Observatory noted "several demonstrators, with some reported to be in critical condition, following an attack carried out by pro-government supporters near the al-Omara roundabout in the city of Jableh."

The Syrian Observatory said two people were killed as Syrian security forces dispersed the protests. A medical source told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that two bodies were taken to a local hospital. Syrian authorities did not confirm that security forces opened fire, but said the situation had been “contained.”

"Three people died, and 60 others were injured due to attacks by the remnants of the defunct regime on security forces and civilians during the protests in Latakia today," according to the Syrian News Agency (SANA).