A Syrian war monitor reported on Saturday that more than 300 Alawite civilians have been killed in recent days by security forces and their allies, as authorities continue to battle rebels loyal to former leader Bashar al-Assad.

Restoring stability remains a significant challenge for Syria’s new authorities, who took power after ousting Assad in a swift offensive last December. Now, they are facing their fiercest attacks yet from members of the Alawite minority, to which the former leader belonged. In response, the government has launched a major counter-operation in the group’s coastal stronghold following deadly clashes on Thursday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “311 Alawite civilians were killed in the coastal region… by security forces and allied groups” since the onset of the latest violence.

According to the Observatory, many of the victims were executed by security personnel or pro-government fighters, with reports of looting of homes and properties.

The latest deaths bring the total toll to 524, including 93 members of the new government’s security forces and 120 pro-Assad fighters.

State news agency SANA reported early Saturday that “deposed regime remnants” had attacked the national hospital in Latakia, adding that “general security forces are repelling the attack.”

In a Friday address, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa urged insurgents to surrender, stating, “Lay down your weapons and surrender before it’s too late.”

Western powers and Syria’s neighbors have stressed the importance of unity in rebuilding the war-torn nation after years of conflict under Assad’s rule.

The Britain-based Observatory has documented several “massacres” in recent days, with women and children among the victims.

“The vast majority of the victims were summarily executed by elements affiliated with the Ministry of Defence and the Interior,” the rights group reported on Friday.

Activists and the Observatory released footage depicting dozens of bodies in civilian clothing piled outside a house, bloodstains visible nearby, as women wailed in the background. Other videos appeared to show men in military uniforms shooting people at close range.

AFP has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the images.