Date: 14/03/2025
Where:
Syria, Kiswah - city south of Damascus
Syria, Quneitra and Dara’a Province
Syria, Tartous and Latakia Province
Syria, Aleppo, Raqqa and Hassakah Province
Who’s involved:
Syria, Israel, Turkey, Pro-Assad insurgency cells
What happened?
Following the fall of Assad’s regime on 08/12/2024 and Al-Sharaa's assumption of office on 29/01/2025, Al-Sharaa and the Syrian transitional government have been working to unify Syria, establish state institutions, and revive the struggling economy. As part of these efforts, the Syrian administration has been rebuilding the country's armed forces and security agencies, while also engaging with foreign nations, such as Russia and the EU. On 27/01/2025, the EU approved to lift sanctions and unfreeze assets of entities like banks and Syrian Arab Airlines, whilst Russian oil export tankers arrived at the coast of Syria on 06/03/2025 following new economic arrangements between Syria and Russia.
On 12/02/2025, Al-Sharaa declared the formation of the Preparatory Committee for the National Dialogue Conference. The committee held consultations across Syria, leading to the quick organization of the National Dialogue Conference on 24/02/2025. The conference concluded with a final statement outlining the foundation for a new constitution.
On 24/02/2025, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu demanded the complete demilitarization of southern Syria and affirmed that Israel would not permit any Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) or Syrian forces to enter the area south of Damascus. Following this, Israel conducted a new wave of airstrikes in Kiswah, south of Damascus, and in the southern province of Deraa on 25/02/2025. In response, protests erupted across multiple regions in Syria from 24-02-2025 to 25-02-2025. Meanwhile, Israeli forces remain active in the Southern Quneitra in the Golan Heights and continue to establish logistical infrastructure whilst also conducting more airstrikes on military bases in the Tartous region in Northern Syria (03/03/2025), emphasizing Israel’s ongoing strategic presence.
During a meeting in Amman on 26/02/2025, Jordan's King Abdullah and Syria's President Al-Sharaa agreed to work together to secure their common border against arms and drug trafficking.
On 06/03/2025, pro-Assad insurgent cells carried out coordinated attacks on Syrian military checkpoints and patrols in Jableh, Beit Ana, and Daliyah in Latakia Province. After several smaller clashes from pro-assad insurgents, this marked the first major instance of their open armed rebellion against the new regime, signaling lingering resistance from loyalists of the former government. The newly formed Syrian army deployed armored units, helicopters, and drones between 07/03/2025 and 10/03/2025. Syrian government forces have secured most of the region’s larger towns, but still have not fully eliminated insurgent cells in the provinces of Tartous and Latakia. Despite the conclusion of clearing operations on 10/03/2025, insurgents remain active in western Syria. Their ability to operate without uniforms and blend with the population makes them difficult to eradicate in single operations.
In addition to the separate insurgency cell attacks, the Syrian Popular Resistance (SPR), a pro-Assad insurgent group formed in December 2024, announced on 07/03/2025 that it had seized control of several villages in Jabal al-Alawiyin and expanded its operations to Masyaf in the Hama countryside, highlighting the ongoing fighting and instability in different regions.
On 09/03/2025, reports of massacres in coastal Alawite communities, allegedly due to poorly executed counter-insurgency operations by transitional government forces, prompted President Sharaa's office to announce the formation of an independent committee to investigate the clashes and killings by both sides. The committee’s aim is to identify the perpetrators and alleviate the growing fear among Syria’s ethnic minorities, specifically Alawites. In the aftermath of the killings, many minority group members attempted to flee the country, and by 13/03/2025, approximately 9,000 people sought refuge from the sectarian violence at the Russian air base in Hmeimim, Syria.
In Northern Syria, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) have been clashing with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) positions since before the toppling of Assad’s regime. However, the conflict intensified after the fall of Assad and has seen both sides exchange heavy artillery fire, with Turkey and SNA forces also launching significant strikes on SDF positions in the provinces Aleppo, Raqqa and Hassakah. However, a potential turning point emerged when an agreement was reached between the Syrian transitional government and the SDF on 10/03/2025, outlining the integration of SDF forces into the national army.
Although the SNA temporarily halted its attacks following the ceasefire, the SNA resumed attacks on SDF positions along the M4 highway in Aleppo and Hasakah provinces on 11/03/2025 and 12/03/2025. Turkish President Erdogan expressed cautious support for the ceasefire on 11/03/2025 but reiterated Turkey's commitment to fighting terrorism, evidenced by continued Turkish strikes on SDF positions from 10/03/2025 to 12/03/2025. Furthermore, the SNA's ongoing attacks on the SDF suggest that the Syrian transitional government has limited control over the SNA, which began integrating its forces into the Syrian transitional Defense Ministry on 29/12/2024 after talks between Al- Sharaa and SNA leaders.
On 12/03/2025, Al-Sharaa issued a decree establishing the country's National Security Council. The council, which was absent during the rule of Assad, will be responsible for making decisions concerning national security and addressing the challenges facing the state. On 13/03/2025, Al-Sharaa signed a draft constitution that initiates a five-year transition period and ensures a separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.