In the wake of seismic political shifts and ongoing violence, Syria’s coastal and eastern regions are navigating a precarious path toward stability. Recent decisions by the Ministry of Interior to remove internal security checkpoints from towns and villages in Latakia and Tartus have signaled a new approach to security in the country’s west. Yet, a surge in attacks by groups described as remnants of the former regime, alongside the persistent threat of deadly war remnants such as landmines, underscores the fragility of the current peace.
On August 9, 2025, the Syrian Ministry of Interior undertook a significant move by removing Internal Security Forces checkpoints from a number of towns and villages in the coastal region, particularly in Latakia and Tartus. According to Enab Baladi, only a handful of checkpoints remain, mainly on the outskirts of Baniyas and Jableh, two key coastal cities. In Baniyas, longstanding checkpoints near al-Khader Hospital and the Cultural Center were dismantled, as were those at the entrances to villages in Jableh city.
Explaining the rationale for this shift, Ministry of Interior spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba told Enab Baladi, "This change is based on a national vision already adopted by the ministry." Al-Baba pointed to the ministry’s growing experience and increased trust between security forces and the public as drivers for the policy. He also emphasized the goal of reducing everyday friction between citizens and security personnel by relying more on technical means—a move the ministry is actively working toward. The checkpoints, he stressed, were always meant to be an emergency, temporary measure dictated by the country’s tumultuous circumstances.
This new approach comes against a backdrop of both progress and peril. Just five days after the checkpoint removals, on August 14, a Syrian army vehicle was attacked in Latakia’s countryside by groups the Ministry of Defense described as "remnants of the defunct regime." Fortunately, there were no casualties in this particular incident, but it was part of a worrying uptick in violence. The official SANA news agency reported that the three days leading up to August 14 saw an increase in similar attacks targeting army forces in both Latakia and Tartus countryside.
These incidents have prompted a swift response from authorities. Nour al-Din Primo, head of media relations in Latakia Governorate, told Enab Baladi that the security situation remains "very good" overall, but acknowledged the seriousness of the attack on the army vehicle. In response, the governorate has reinforced military positions, raised security alert levels, and increased mobile patrols. Primo explained that these measures are intended "to control the area, protect residents and civil peace, and prevent any attempts to destabilize security."
The threat posed by remnants of the former regime is not new. After the fall of Assad’s rule in December 2024, attacks on security and military forces in the region began almost immediately. On December 14, 2024, just six days after the regime’s collapse, three members of the Military Operations Directorate were killed and others wounded in an ambush in Latakia countryside. Later that month, on December 26, 14 members of the Ministry of Interior lost their lives and ten others were injured in an ambush in Khirbet al-Ma’zah, Tartus countryside.
The violence escalated further in January 2025, when a group associated with the remnants captured seven members of the General Security Directorate during a security campaign in Jableh. Security and military forces responded with drones and helicopters, eventually freeing the captives and killing Bassam Hossam al-Din, the leader of the so-called "Lions of the Mountain" militia. The bloodiest chapter came on March 6, 2025, when cities in the coastal region, including Tartus and Latakia, were rocked by sectarian violence. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, these events resulted in the deaths of 803 people, including both public security forces and civilians, at the hands of factions loyal to the Syrian state.
While the west grapples with security transitions and lingering political violence, the east faces a different but equally deadly threat: landmines and unexploded ordnance. In the Kabajeb area of Deir Ezzor countryside, a civilian was killed and his son injured by shrapnel from a landmine explosion while traveling in their car. The area, under Damascus government control, is just one of many across Syria where remnants of past conflicts continue to claim lives on a near-daily basis.
According to the Syrian Observatory For Human Rights (SOHR), the toll from war remnants since December 8, 2024, has been staggering. Between that date and August 13, 2025, 585 civilians have been killed across Syria by landmines and other leftover explosives. The victims include 158 children and 38 women. During the same period, 622 others have been injured, among them 268 children and 17 women. The casualties are spread across all regions of the country, but areas under Damascus government control have borne the brunt: 452 fatalities (including 24 women and 113 children) and 447 injured (including 185 children and 7 women). Some of the victims were truffle pickers, a group particularly vulnerable due to their work in rural fields where mines are often hidden.
SDF-controlled areas have also suffered, with 39 fatalities (including 19 children and 3 women) and 66 injured (45 children and 2 women). In territories controlled by the National Army factions, there have been 94 fatalities (26 children and 11 women) and 109 injuries (38 children and 8 women).
The SOHR has issued an urgent plea to international organizations, calling for immediate action to clear war remnants from Syrian soil. The organization also urges the new government to "cooperate and provide the necessary facilities to carry out these operations to allow residents to return to their areas safely." The call highlights the ongoing danger posed by unexploded ordnance and the critical need for coordinated demining efforts to restore a semblance of normalcy to war-torn communities.
Despite recent steps toward normalization, such as the removal of checkpoints and the reinforcement of security deployments, the situation in Syria remains deeply complex. The legacy of the former regime, persistent insurgent violence, and the ever-present threat of landmines collectively challenge the fragile peace. For residents of Latakia, Tartus, and Deir Ezzor, daily life is colored by both cautious optimism and the sobering reality of ongoing risk. The coming months will test whether technical innovations, community trust, and international cooperation can finally tip the scales toward lasting safety.