Over 200 dead in Syria from recent clashes

Clashes in Syria between security forces and loyalists of former President Bashar Assad have resulted in over 200 deaths in two days. The violence marks the worst since Assad's government was ousted in December by insurgent groups. Fighters supporting the new government attacked villages near the coast, killing many men in retaliation for assaults on government forces. The fighting began when government forces attempted to detain a wanted individual and were ambushed. The new interim president called for armed groups to surrender their weapons and urged restraint to avoid civilian harm. Meanwhile, Damascus has sent reinforcements to coastal areas, and a curfew remains in effect in Latakia and surrounding regions.