ISTANBUL

The Syrian Defense Ministry said Monday that its military operation against the remnants of the deposed Bashar Assad regime in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus has concluded.

“Our forces successfully neutralized security cells and remnants of the former regime in the towns of Al Mukhtareyah, Muzayraa, and Al-Zubar in Latakia, as well as Ad Dali, Ta’nita, and Al Qadmus in Tartus, thwarting threats and securing the area,” ministry spokesperson Hassan Abdul Ghani said in statements carried by the state news agency SANA.

He said public institutions are now able “to resume operations and provide essential services to our citizens, paving the way for a return to normal life and reinforcing security and stability.”

The spokesman said Syrian forces "successfully absorbed the attacks of the remnants of the former regime and its officers" and managed to push them away from key strategic locations.  

Syrian forces "secured most of the main roads that these remnants had used as launching points to target civilians and innocent people," he added.

The spokesman stressed that Syrian security agencies “will intensify their efforts in the next phase to ensure stability, maintain security, and protect residents."

He said the Defense Ministry has developed “new plans to continue combating the remnants of the former regime, eliminate any future threats, and prevent the reorganization of criminal cells."

Abdul Ghani said his ministry will grant an investigative committee "full opportunity to uncover the circumstances of the events, verify the facts, and ensure justice for the oppressed."

Last week, Syria's coastal governorates of Latakia and Tartus witnessed coordinated attacks by Assad loyalists. These were the most intense assaults since the regime’s collapse, targeting security patrols and checkpoints, resulting in casualties.

After the collapse of the Assad regime in December, the new Syrian authorities launched an initiative to settle the status of former regime members in the military and security forces, contingent on their surrendering weapons and remaining untainted by bloodshed.

While tens of thousands accepted the initiative, some armed groups made up of regime remnants, particularly in the coastal region where high-ranking Assad officers were stationed, rejected it.

Over time, these groups fled to the mountainous areas, stirring tensions, destabilizing the region, and launching sporadic attacks against government forces in recent weeks.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period on Jan. 29.