Clashes in Syria leave over 1,000 dead

Clashes in Syria have resulted in over 1,000 deaths, marking one of the deadliest periods in the 14-year conflict. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 745 civilians, 125 security forces, and 148 militants were killed in two days of violence. The violence erupted after government forces attempted to detain a wanted individual, leading to ambushes by loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad. Revenge killings by Sunni gunmen against the Alawite minority followed, with reports of bodies left unburied and homes looted and burned. The new government claims to have regained control of many areas and has closed roads to restore stability. Residents are fleeing to safer locations, with many seeking refuge at a Russian air base in Syria.