Three dead in Alawite protests on Syrian coast, local officials say

People from the Alawite sect protest as they demand federalism and an end to what they say is the killing and violations against Alawites, in Latakia, Syria, December 28, 2025. REUTERS/Karam al-Masri

LATAKIA, Syria Dec 28 - ‌Three people were killed on Sunday when protests in Syria's Alawite heartland of Latakia spiralledinto ‌gunfire and other violence, according to the province's media office.

Syria has been rocked by several ‌episodes of sectarian bloodshed since longtime leader Bashar al-Assad, who hails from the Muslim Alawite minority, was ousted by a rebel offensive last year and replaced by a Sunni-led government.