Siege of Latakia
Encyclopedia
The siege of Latakia is an ongoing military operation during the 2011 Syrian uprising
. It started in April 2011, but intensified dramatically in the early morning of 13 August 2011, when Syria
n troops and tanks entered the city of Latakia
, on Syria's Mediterranean
coast.
since March 2011. The Syrian government claimed 12 were killed there in clashes in late March, leading to the deployment of the military to restrict movement into and out of the city. Hundreds of Syrians were reportedly arrested, and by late July, activists in Latakia were telling foreign media they feared a more violent crackdown was coming. Protests continued despite the increased security presence and arrests. Several civilians were allegedly killed in confrontations with security officers during this early period of the siege.
rolled into Latakia on 13 August, according to the London
-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). It reported that activists said at least two civilians were killed in operations on 13 August.
On 14 August, the opposition Local Co-ordination Committees (LCC) said the death toll increased dramatically as the Syrian Army
commenced an artillery and tank bombardment of parts of Latakia and the Syrian Navy
fired on neighborhoods near the coast with gunboats armed with heavy machine guns. The Syrian National Organization for Human Rights said it had the names of 26 confirmed dead in Latakia, while SOHR said most of the deaths were caused by machine-gunning. The Syrian government said two security officers and four "armed men who were terrorizing residents" were killed.
The assault reportedly continued on 15 August, when the Syrian Army ordered residents in southern and southeastern Latakia to evacuate. Al Jazeera
reported residents claimed soldiers were rounding up people in central Latakia, forcing them onto buses, and corralling them inside Al-Assad Stadium. The Syrian Revolution Co-ordinating Union, a coalition of opposition activists, said at least six were killed throughout the day in Latakia. The Syrian government denied it was directing gunboats against Latakia, calling the claims "absolutely baseless", and said the ships off the coast of Latakia were part of an anti-smuggling patrol. The United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA) said more than 5,000 Palestinian
s had been forced to flee from a refugee camp on the outskirts of Latakia during the assault, and the LCC reported soldiers were moving from residence to residence in the camp and ordering the Palestinians to leave. The LCC also said Syrian soldiers had begun firing at random in addition to shelling neighborhoods and searching houses. At least one resident reported the district containing the Palestinian camp was shelled, among others, and that heavy machine-gun fire was being directed at over half a dozen other neighborhoods in the city.
Avaaz, the international human rights
group, said it could name nine confirmed killed on 16 August in Latakia. Residents reported that many people were being detained as they attempted to flee the city. They also said shahiba, plainclothes militiamen loyal to Assad
, were looting homes and shops in the al-Ramel neighbourhood, where the Palestinian refugee camp is located, as well as attempting to remove any sign of shooting. One resident said he was afraid the neighbourhood would be completely destroyed.
A doctor working in Latakia reported on 18 August that the claims of opposition activists, including the use of warships to attack the city and the detention of hundreds of civilians in a sports stadium, were true. He said more than 50 people had died since 14 August in Latakia. Sunni and Palestinian residents of the city were targeted disproportionately, according to his account, and homes were being destroyed by shelling, gunfire, and bulldozers to flush people out into the open where many were rounded up and arrested.
2011 Syrian uprising
The 2011 Syrian uprising is an ongoing internal conflict occurring in Syria. Protests started on 26 January 2011, and escalated into an uprising by 15 March 2011...
. It started in April 2011, but intensified dramatically in the early morning of 13 August 2011, when Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n troops and tanks entered the city of Latakia
Latakia
Latakia, or Latakiyah , is the principal port city of Syria, as well as the capital of the Latakia Governorate. In addition to serving as a port, the city is a manufacturing center for surrounding agricultural towns and villages...
, on Syria's Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
coast.
Background
Latakia had been a site of protest activityDemonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
since March 2011. The Syrian government claimed 12 were killed there in clashes in late March, leading to the deployment of the military to restrict movement into and out of the city. Hundreds of Syrians were reportedly arrested, and by late July, activists in Latakia were telling foreign media they feared a more violent crackdown was coming. Protests continued despite the increased security presence and arrests. Several civilians were allegedly killed in confrontations with security officers during this early period of the siege.
Escalation
More than 20 tanks and APCsArmoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
rolled into Latakia on 13 August, according to the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). It reported that activists said at least two civilians were killed in operations on 13 August.
On 14 August, the opposition Local Co-ordination Committees (LCC) said the death toll increased dramatically as the Syrian Army
Syrian Army
The Syrian Army, officially called the Syrian Arab Army, is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the senior most posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the...
commenced an artillery and tank bombardment of parts of Latakia and the Syrian Navy
Syrian Navy
The Syrian Navy is the smallest of the Syrian Armed Forces. It is under the Syrian Army's Latakia regional command with the fleet based in the ports of Baniyas, Latakia, Minat al Bayda, and Tartus.- History :...
fired on neighborhoods near the coast with gunboats armed with heavy machine guns. The Syrian National Organization for Human Rights said it had the names of 26 confirmed dead in Latakia, while SOHR said most of the deaths were caused by machine-gunning. The Syrian government said two security officers and four "armed men who were terrorizing residents" were killed.
The assault reportedly continued on 15 August, when the Syrian Army ordered residents in southern and southeastern Latakia to evacuate. Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
reported residents claimed soldiers were rounding up people in central Latakia, forcing them onto buses, and corralling them inside Al-Assad Stadium. The Syrian Revolution Co-ordinating Union, a coalition of opposition activists, said at least six were killed throughout the day in Latakia. The Syrian government denied it was directing gunboats against Latakia, calling the claims "absolutely baseless", and said the ships off the coast of Latakia were part of an anti-smuggling patrol. The United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is a relief and human development agency, providing education, health care, social services and emergency aid to 5 million Palestine refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, as well as in the West Bank and the Gaza...
(UNRWA) said more than 5,000 Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
s had been forced to flee from a refugee camp on the outskirts of Latakia during the assault, and the LCC reported soldiers were moving from residence to residence in the camp and ordering the Palestinians to leave. The LCC also said Syrian soldiers had begun firing at random in addition to shelling neighborhoods and searching houses. At least one resident reported the district containing the Palestinian camp was shelled, among others, and that heavy machine-gun fire was being directed at over half a dozen other neighborhoods in the city.
Avaaz, the international human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
group, said it could name nine confirmed killed on 16 August in Latakia. Residents reported that many people were being detained as they attempted to flee the city. They also said shahiba, plainclothes militiamen loyal to Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
, were looting homes and shops in the al-Ramel neighbourhood, where the Palestinian refugee camp is located, as well as attempting to remove any sign of shooting. One resident said he was afraid the neighbourhood would be completely destroyed.
A doctor working in Latakia reported on 18 August that the claims of opposition activists, including the use of warships to attack the city and the detention of hundreds of civilians in a sports stadium, were true. He said more than 50 people had died since 14 August in Latakia. Sunni and Palestinian residents of the city were targeted disproportionately, according to his account, and homes were being destroyed by shelling, gunfire, and bulldozers to flush people out into the open where many were rounded up and arrested.