Syria’s Latakia ‘provocations’ threaten peace: Turkey

Turkey on Friday warned against “provocations” in Syria’s Latakia province, where recent clashes killed dozens in some of the worst violence since Bashar al-Assad’s fall, saying they threatened peace.

“Such provocations must not be allowed to become a threat to the peace of Syria and our region,” foreign ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli wrote on X.

More than 70 people were killed and dozens more wounded in fierce clashes in the coastal province that erupted on Thursday between government security forces and militants loyal to al-Assad, a war monitor said Friday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said the security forces “executed” 52 members of the Alawite minority.

The province is the heartland of the Alawite faith, an offshoot of Shia Islam to which the Assad clan belongs.

“We stand against any actions targeting the Syrian people’s right to live in peace and prosperity,” Keceli said.

“Turkey will continue to stand by the Syrian people and their administration.”