Syria faces twin battles as Assad loyalists and ISIL attack in west, east

A shadowy armed group linked to regime remnants launches a deadly attack on security positions in Latakia, while ISIL kills soldiers in the east.Published On 25 Feb 2026Clashes between Syrian internal security forces and a militia linked to the ousted government of Bashar al-Assad have left at least four people dead in the Alawite-majority coastal province of Latakia, marking a significant escalation in the new government’s fight to stabilise a nation emerging from years of ruinous civil war.The fighting erupted on Tuesday west of the village of Hamam al-Qarahleh in the countryside of Jableh. Security forces were responding to reports that members of “Saraya al-Jawad” (al-Jawad Brigades), a shadowy armed group linked to regime remnants, had launched an attack on security positions.According to the official Al-Ikhbariya TV channel, the confrontation killed at least one member of the Internal Security Forces. Security units managed to “neutralise” a top commander of the militia along with two of his associates, bringing the death toll to at least four.The ‘Tiger’s’ shadowThe emergence of Saraya al-Jawad represents a shift from disorganised loyalist resistance to an organised rebellion in the coastal heartland, traditionally the stronghold of the al-Assad family.Formed in August 2025, the militia is reportedly loyal to Suheil al-Hassan, the brigadier-general who commanded the notorious Quwwat al-Nimr (Tiger Forces), an elite unit in the former regime’s army.The Ministry of Interior accuses the group of carrying out a campaign of destabilisation, including “assassinations, bombings, and targeting public celebrations”. The crackdown in Latakia comes as the transitional government, which took power after the regime’s collapse in December 2024, attempts to dismantle “deep state” armed cells.Battles on two frontsThe violence in the west coincided with a resurgence of attacks in the east earlier in the week, undermining the country’s fragile stability.