Syria on edge: Over 340 dead as tensions escalate — the details

Report by Raneem Bou Khzam, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

As tensions rise in Syria, a video shows the entry of security forces loyal to the new Syrian administration into the coastal city of Baniyas in the Tartus‎ province to maintain security, according to the SANA news agency.

Meanwhile, the escalating security situation in Latakia has become one of the most significant and dangerous challenges facing the new government. 

The Syrian Ministry of Defense reported Saturday afternoon that control had been re-established in areas where factions of the Assad regime had been active.

The emphasis on security forces' strict adherence to orders, under the threat of legal action, follows various videos and reports of violations and massacres against Alawite civilians. The authenticity of these videos could not be verified.

The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights also reported that Syrian security forces and allied militants killed more than 340 civilians, mostly Alawites, over the past two days.

In contrast, other videos circulated on social media, also unverifiable, show massacres allegedly carried out by factions of the former regime against members of the Syrian general security forces, including the burning of their bodies.

Meanwhile, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa urged Alawite fighters Friday evening to surrender their weapons and themselves "before it's too late."

On the other hand, statements from several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Egypt, expressed support for Syrian institutions and rejected any attempts to destabilize the country. 

Iraq's stance was the only one to diverge from the language used in most of the statements, as it condemned the targeting of innocent civilians and called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.