Armed groups associated with the former Assad regime attacked government positions in Latakia, Tartous and Hama on 6 March 2025, killing 238 members of the army and security services. On 15 October 2026, the Military Criminal Court in Aleppo sentenced two men, Waddah Ismail and Maher Ali, to death for their roles in the violence. The court found both defendants guilty of provoking civil war and sectarian conflict during the coordinated 2025 assaults. These sentences represent the first judicial actions taken by the court regarding the deaths of the military and security personnel in the coastal regions. Official records confirm the sentencing concludes the initial phase of proceedings against those accused of participating in the attacks.
Scope of Judicial Proceedings
A national investigation established that 1,426 people died during the 2025 violence, including 90 women. The records also account for 20 missing persons. Authorities identified 298 suspects for their roles in serious violations committed against civilians. A separate category of 265 individuals remains under suspicion for direct involvement in attacks conducted by armed groups linked to the former regime. These figures represent the current findings of the state inquiry into the coastal massacres. Judicial officials continue to evaluate evidence against these identified suspects as legal proceedings move forward. Each case is being processed through the national court system to determine individual responsibility for the civilian casualties and the broader security breaches documented during the 2025 assaults.
Sentencing of Individual Perpetrators
Mohammed Bakkour of the 82nd Division received a 20-year sentence for intentional killing as part of the ongoing judicial process. Ammar Abdul Aal was sentenced to three years for torture in connection with his actions during the 2025 violence.
A joint investigation published in September 2025 by Human Rights Watch, Syrians for Truth and Justice, and the Syrian Archive found that abuses occurred during an operation centrally coordinated by the Ministry of Defence. This report documented systemic failures and specific incidents of violence attributed to state-linked actors during the coastal assaults.
In August 2025, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria concluded that violations committed by forces associated with the new government and armed groups loyal to the former regime could amount to war crimes. The Commission based its findings on evidence collected from the coastal regions, noting the impact of these acts on the civilian population. Their report identified patterns of conduct that crossed the threshold of international humanitarian law. Authorities continue to review these findings alongside the evidence presented in the Military Criminal Court in Aleppo.
