A court in Aleppo, Syria, has sentenced two supporters of the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime to death for inciting violence and leading armed gangs during last year's coastal uprising. The Military Criminal Court also handed down significant prison sentences to members of the current government's security forces for their roles in killing hundreds of civilians.

The rulings on Thursday stem from investigations into sectarian violence that occurred in March 2025, primarily in Syria's coastal provinces. State media reported that Al-Waddah Ismail and Maher Ali were convicted of seeking to incite civil war and sectarian fighting. A third defendant, Maher Othman, received a 12-year prison sentence.

In parallel proceedings, the court convicted Mohammed Bakour, a member of the Defence Ministry’s 82nd Division in the new government, of intentional homicide and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Ammar Abdul Aal was sentenced to three years for torture, while two others, Abdul Raouf Bakrjan and Mohammed Zarzouri, were acquitted.

These verdicts mark the first time government-linked personnel have faced trial for acts of violence during the post-regime period. The violence in March 2025 reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 1,426 people, predominantly civilians from the Alawite religious minority, in the coastal regions of Tartous, Latakia, and Hama.

A government committee investigating the attacks documented serious violations, including murder, looting, destruction of property, torture, and sectarian insults, specifically on March 7, 8, and 9 of the previous year. The committee identified 298 suspects implicated in these violations.

The committee's findings indicate that 238 members of the army and security forces were killed by pro-Assad fighters during the initial attacks. Subsequently, an estimated 200,000 pro-government military reinforcements reportedly converged on the area, leading to alleged revenge killings.

According to reports, the uprising was initiated by individuals loyal to the former al-Assad regime, who is also from the Alawite minority. The fall of the al-Assad regime at the end of 2024 preceded these events, with many loyal soldiers and supporters reportedly fleeing the country.

The trials and convictions represent a significant development in Syria's efforts to address accountability for past violence. However, with hundreds of suspects identified and numerous individuals on trial, the full scope of justice and reconciliation remains a complex and ongoing challenge.