• Intense battles between Syrian transitional government forces and fighters loyal to removed leader Basher al-Assad continue in parts of northwestern Syria.
• Hundreds of people, including civilians, have been reported killed in the deadliest violence since opposition fighters toppled al-Assad in a lightning offensive last year.
• It comes after clashes erupted on Thursday following a series of attacks and ambushes in Latakia and Tartous governorates, home to the Alawite minority sect to which the al-Assad family belongs.
• Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who commanded the rebel-led alliance that removed al-Assad, has told the fighters to “lay down their weapons and surrender”, saying anyone who attacks civilians will be held accountable.
• His government has imposed a curfew and deployed reinforcements.

Here’s what happened today

• Hundreds of people, many of them civilians, have been killed in parts of northwestern Syria as fighting between security forces and Bashar al-Assad loyalists continues.
• Government forces are in full control of the city centres of Latakia, Baniyas, Jableh and Tartous, where heavy clashes have been taking place since Thursday, our colleagues in Syria report.
• However, the situation remains precarious as the fighting is now expected to be concentrated on mountainous areas in the region.
• Footage of civilians being killed is emerging as the government promises to hold accountable those responsible.
• The violence is the most serious challenge to the new Syrian government’s authority since it took power in December.