Syria's Mediterranean coast has been gripped by extreme violence that has seen mass killings mainly targeting members of the Alawite minority. Authorities have not provided a toll, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor put the number of dead at 1,

Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the violence by ‘radical Islamic terrorists’ and expressed support for minority sects in Syria.

Summary executions and other atrocities have taken place in Syria’s coastal region following insurgent attacks on Syrian security forces and during subsequent government security operations, with the Alawite community bearing the brunt of the violence.

Curtin University Dean of Global Futures Joe Siracusa believes killings in Syria’s coastal region are “settling scores” and are “as natural as night following day”.

Syria's pro-government troops announced the end of the large-scale offensive in coastal areas after days of deadly violence killed hundreds of civilians, pledging to continue chasing remnants of the former Assad regime.