Syrian president urges unity after deadly clashes

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa called for national unity after over 1,000 people were reportedly killed in recent clashes in coastal Syria. The violence, the worst since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, involved new security forces and former government loyalists. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 745 Alawite civilians were among the dead, with many killed in executions. The fighting also resulted in the deaths of 125 security personnel and 148 pro-Assad fighters. In response to the unrest, security forces have been deployed to restore order, and schools in Latakia and Tartus provinces are closed due to unstable conditions. The situation follows clashes triggered by the arrest of a suspect in an Alawite village.