Syrian forces killed a former Assad-era commander during a security operation in Safita, east of Tartus, authorities said on Sunday, as the government intensifies its campaign against armed groups it says are linked to remnants of the former Assad regime.
Firas Abdul Karim Hammoud, known as "al-Khal", was the former commander of special forces in the unit once known as the 25th Division, the Syrian Interior Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said Internal Security forces raided Hammoud’s hideout in the town of Safita in Tartus province after tracking his movements across several areas.
It said Hammoud opened fire on the forces during the operation, prompting officers to return fire, killing him. Authorities said he had also fired at security personnel during an earlier attempt to arrest him three days before the raid.
Hammoud had served as special forces commander in the 25th Division under former president Bashar al-Assad. The unit was later referred to as "Fajr" after the fall of the Assad regime.
The Interior Ministry accused Hammoud of helping lead armed groups linked to former regime forces in Syria’s coastal region, including in Tartus and neighbouring Latakia.
It alleged that he was involved in armed unrest targeting government and security sites, which it said killed members of Syria’s security forces and army and led to the detention of others. Hammoud was also accused of taking part in negotiations over detainees during those incidents.
The ministry further alleged that he was seeking to organise armed groups to target state institutions and civilians, though it did not provide further details about the alleged cells or attacks.
Sunday’s operation comes amid a wider security campaign by Syria’s new authorities against armed groups and figures accused of links to the Assad regime.
Syria’s coastal provinces, particularly Tartus and Latakia, have seen recurring tensions and clashes in recent months, with authorities accusing armed groups described as former-regime remnants of carrying out attacks against security and military personnel.
Damascus says it is pursuing those responsible for attacks on state forces and seeking to bring weapons under the control of official institutions. Critics, however, have warned that sweeping security measures in the predominantly Alawite coastal region risk deepening communal tensions unless arrests and military operations are conducted transparently and with due process.
The security crackdown follows a wave of sectarian killings in the Latakia region in March 2025, when hundreds of civilians, many from the Alawite community, were reported killed amid clashes and retaliatory attacks involving government-aligned forces and armed groups linked to the former regime.