Syria faces renewed violence with over 1,000 deaths

Syria has experienced a surge in violence following the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December. Over 1,000 people have died in two days due to sectarian clashes, with insurgent leader Ahmad al-Sharaa's forces accused of brutal revenge attacks against the Alawite community. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that around 830 Alawites were killed over the weekend. Al-Sharaa, a former jihadist leader, has quickly taken control of Damascus and formed a new government, but many fighters from his past remain integrated into the armed forces. Sectarian tensions are rising, with entire Alawite villages devastated. The Kurdish minority, controlling the northeast, is increasingly anxious about the potential for violence, especially given the history of persecution by al-Sharaa's group.