Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made a statement on the events in Latakia, Syria during the Five-Nation Security Summit in Jordan. Minister Fidan noted that “We see an attempt to derail the policy that the Syrian government has been pursuing for weeks without succumbing to any provocation.” A joint statement was issued by Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria during the summit, condemning all attempts to undermine Syria’s security and expressing support for the Damascus government.

Following the Five-Nation Security Summit in Amman, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, and the Director of MİT İbrahim Kalın participated in a meeting with Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syrian counterparts in diplomacy, defense, and intelligence.

Minister Fidan addressed the events in Latakia and its surroundings, emphasizing the importance of Alevi, Christian, Druze, and Alawite communities in Syria avoiding provocation. He stressed that Turkey and neighboring countries do not support any initiatives that disrupt stability in Syria, and that they consistently advocate for the protection of the fundamental rights of civilian populations.

JOINT STATEMENT FROM FOUR COUNTRIES Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria released a joint statement denouncing all attempts to undermine Syria’s security and supporting the Syrian government. The statement underlined that the security and stability of Syria are essential for the security and stability of the region, condemning any efforts or groups that target Syria’s security, sovereignty, and peace. The statement reiterated support for the government in its measures to strengthen public order and safeguard the stability and safety of its people. It rejected and condemned Israel’s aggression towards Syrian territories and its interference in internal affairs, considering it a violation of international humanitarian law and a threat to Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity that could escalate conflict further.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN LATAKIA? The number of casualties is rising in the events unfolding in Latakia and its surroundings in Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the death toll has exceeded a thousand. Over 700 of the deceased were civilians killed at close range. The clashes resulted in the deaths of 148 pro-Assad forces and 125 members of Syrian government forces. Rami Abdulrahman, the Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, previously stated that the majority of civilians killed were Alawites.

HOW DID THE EVENTS IN LATAKIA BEGIN? The events in Latakia and its surroundings reportedly began with an attack by elements of the Assad regime on security forces. On March 6th, this attack in the town of Jableh in Latakia claimed the lives of 11 security personnel. Following the attack, the Syrian army dispatched reinforced units consisting of hundreds of vehicles to Latakia and Tartus, starting operations to capture elements of the Assad regime involved in the attack.