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Syrian authorities imposed an overnight curfew in the coastal city of Latakia on Tuesday after violence erupted in the wake of protests that left at least four people dead and over 100 wounded across the country's northwestern region.
The interior ministry announced the curfew would run from 5:00 p.m. local time Tuesday until 6:00 a.m.
On Wednesday, a day after individuals attacked neighborhoods in the city, damaging vehicles and vandalizing shops.
The violence followed demonstrations on Sunday that turned deadly when gunmen targeted security personnel who were protecting protests in coastal cities and central areas, according to Syrian state media.
The Syrian Arab News Agency reported that the death toll reached four, with 108 people wounded, citing the Latakia Health Directorate.
Syrian army forces entered the centers of Latakia and Tartus on Sunday after attacks on civilians and security troops by armed groups linked to the former regime, the Defense Ministry said.
Army units, backed by armored vehicles, moved into the city centers following an escalation in attacks by what the ministry called "outlaw groups" against residents and security personnel.
The army's mission is to maintain security and restore stability in coordination with internal security forces, the ministry stated.
Syrian authorities said Monday that forces had reinforced their deployment in several neighborhoods across Latakia.
The demonstrations began after a call by Ghazal Ghazal, head of the Alawite Supreme Council in Syria and abroad, following a deadly mosque attack in a predominantly Alawite neighborhood of Homs on Friday that killed eight people. Ghazal, known for close ties to the defunct Baathist regime, urged supporters to demand political federalism and international protection.
Protests were reported in Tartus and the central provinces of Hama and Homs, with demonstrators chanting slogans calling for federalism and voicing opposition to the government in Damascus.
Some protesters in Latakia and Jableh attacked security personnel and their vehicles despite heightened security measures.
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Information Minister Hamza Mustafa said attempts by some groups to exploit events to advance sectarian agendas have failed, emphasizing that such efforts had no connection to Syria's national unity and resembled the methods of the former regime.
"The unity of Syria and its people remains a national principle beyond debate," Mustafa said, while stressing that freedom of expression and protest guaranteed by the new state is a cornerstone for building modern institutions.
The new Syrian administration is working to tighten security conditions nationwide and to pursue remnants of the former regime accused of stirring security unrest.
Bashar al-Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December 2024, ending the Baath Party regime that had been in power since 1963.
A new transitional administration headed by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January.
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