Interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa accuses Assad loyalists and foreign powers of fomenting unrest with aim of dragging country back into civil war

The killings occurred in the heartland of Syria’s Alawite minority, escalating after a nascent insurgency formed against the Sunni Islamist government.

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,