Latakia Syria Curfew 2025: Security Forces Arrest 21 Amid Sectarian Violence

The regime fell, but the violence stayed. Syria's coastal heartland is back under lockdown as sectarian tensions boil over just one year after the end of the Al-Assad family's 50-year rule. The move highlights the fragile nature of the country's post-war stabilization efforts.

Latakia Syria Curfew Following Sectarian Attacks

According to Reuters, Syrian authorities imposed an overnight curfew in the port city of Latakia on December 30, 2025. The Interior Ministry announced that the lockdown will be in effect from 5:00 PM to 6:00 AM local time. The decision follows a series of deadly attacks targeting Alawite-majority neighborhoods, where shops were vandalized and vehicles damaged by unidentified assailants.

Security forces in the province arrested 21 people linked to the former regime of Bashar al-Assad. These individuals are accused of sectarian incitement and criminal acts. The arrests are part of a broader crackdown on 'regime remnants' who the government claims are trying to destabilize the new administration led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Alawite Minority Faces Uncertain Future

The unrest flared up after a bombing in Homs earlier this week, which sparked protests. In the ensuing clashes, at least three people were killed as security personnel moved to disperse crowds. One of the deceased was a member of the state security forces.

Since the fall of the Assad government in December 2024, Alawite communities—who once dominated the upper echelons of power—have increasingly felt targeted. Despite repeated assurances from Damascus that all citizens would be protected, incidents like the killing of hundreds of Alawites in March have left the minority group fearing for their safety in the new Syria.