A monitoring group says 973 civilians have been killed in revenge attacks against the Alawite sect since Thursday.

Syria's new authorities announced on Monday the end of an operation against loyalists of deposed president Bashar al-Assad, after nearly 1,000 civilians were killed in the worst violence since his overthrow.

Members of the Syrian security forces stand guard on a street in the coastal city of Jableh, Latakia

Hundreds of people were killed and residents of Syria’s coastal governorates are scared to leave home. The government of Syria says it has ended an operation in the coastal governorates of Latakia and Tartous after four days of fighting between security forces and pro-Assad armed fighters.

The announcement comes as the fighting between pro-Assad militias and members of the security forces killed more than 1,000 people, majority of whom are civilians, amid reports of rights violations.

Syria's interim President Ahmed Sharaa said mass killings of members of ousted President Bashar al-Assad's minority sect were a threat to his mission to unite the country, and promised to punish those responsible,

ALBAWABA- At least 15 General Security personnel were killed in Syria on Thursday after armed groups loyal to the ousted regime ambushed security forces

Greece has been deeply alarmed over the renewed violence that broke out in Syria last week, in which over 1,000 people are reportedly killed.

Syrian army sends reinforcements to Latakia and Tartus provinces, including hundreds of vehicles equipped with tanks, armored personnel carriers, and multiple rocket launchers - Anadolu Ajansı

Two days of fighting along the Mediterranean coast were among the bloodiest battles since rebels ousted the dictator Bashar al-Assad.

At least 973 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in Syria in recent days as forces of the new administration seek to crush loyalists of former President Bashar al-Assad, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

In the worst outbreak of unrest since Syria’s transitional government took power, hundreds of people have been killed or wounded in clashes between the security forces and supporters of former President Bashar al Assad this week,