Syria: Government says "Baath era over", SOHR reports 600+ deaths

Shafaq News/ The Syrian Defense Ministry announced, on Saturday, that government forces are continuing operations against former regime loyalists, asserting that the situation remains fully under control.

“The army is actively pursuing remnants of the former regime according to established operational plans,” said Ministry spokesperson Colonel Hassan Abdul Ghani. He urged those who had recently arrived on the coast to return to their areas, emphasizing that the military has made rapid field advances against insurgents who had ambushed security forces.

Abdul Ghani stated that government troops have encircled key areas and apprehended wanted individuals, who are being handed over to security authorities. He further declared that the Baath era is over for good and that forces continue to dismantle the remaining “criminal strongholds.”

تستمر قواتنا في ملاحقة الفلول وفق الخطط العملياتية المعتمدة#الجمهورية_العربية_السورية#وزارة_الدفاع pic.twitter.com/2exYHeqsKU

— وزارة الدفاع السورية (@Sy_Defense) March 8, 2025

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the death toll from two days of clashes has exceeded 600 fatalities, marking a “major escalation” for Syria’s new government.