Tue Mar 11 11:15:38 UTC 2025: ## Post-Coup Violence Rocks Syria; Jeddah Talks Focus on Ukraine Conflict

**New Delhi, March 12, 2025** – Just months after a seemingly peaceful regime change in Syria, widespread violence has erupted, casting doubt on the stability of the new government. Over 1,500 people, including more than 1,000 civilians, have been killed in the past four days in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. These provinces are strongholds of the Alawite minority, the same sect as deposed President Bashar al-Assad.

The violence follows the December takeover by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, now acting President Ahmed al-Sharaa. While the new regime claims the killings were part of a security operation targeting remnants of the old regime, reports indicate that Alawite homes were targeted and looted. Concerns are rising about the HTS’s ability to maintain peace and unity given its Islamist ideology and history as a jihadist group. Analysts point to Syria’s sectarian divisions and the HTS’s lack of a clean slate as potential causes for the resurgence of violence.

Meanwhile, international attention is focused on ongoing talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between American and Ukrainian officials. These talks, following previous US-Russia discussions, aim to bridge the gap between Kyiv and Moscow amidst escalating conflict. Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy has expressed a desire for peace but insists on security guarantees. The recent halt of US military aid to Ukraine following a controversial meeting between President Trump and Zelenskyy adds complexity to the negotiations. The escalating air war between Russia and Ukraine further underscores the urgency of these talks.

Other international news includes: India considering restoring its High Commissioner to Canada to mend ties strained by the Nijjar killing; a potential end to the decades-long conflict between Turkey and Kurdish militants; India’s increased purchase of US oil; a call for unity among Sri Lanka’s Tamil parties; and the arrest of a Palestinian student in the US.

Read More