“Syrian Observatory”: 600 Public Employees Dismissed in Syria’s Coastal Region

Welat TV – Erbil

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights revealed on Sunday, October 12, 2025, that around 600 public employees in Syria’s coastal region have been dismissed in what it described as a move with “sectarian and political dimensions.”

According to the Observatory, the dismissals targeted employees from various state institutions across the coastal provinces, with authorities pushing them to align with the so-called “Committee of Civil Peace” — a new body promoted by the government to consolidate loyalty.

While official justifications cited “dual employment” and “receiving multiple salaries,” the Observatory reported that such cases were rare and largely the result of deep-rooted administrative corruption inherited from the previous regime.

The report added that “state mismanagement has become increasingly evident,” with widespread bribery, favoritism, and internal coercion eroding national cohesion and deepening social divisions. It described the government’s actions in the coastal region as “cosmetic measures meant to project stability rather than address real structural issues.”

Mass Dismissals from State Institutions

In August 2025, Tartous province witnessed the dismissal of all employees working in water pumping stations, leading to an almost total suspension of water supply to several villages, including Khirbet al-Mazza, Maniya, Yahmour, al-Zurqat, Zaytouna, al-Kashfa, and Ras al-Khashoufa.

Additionally, 256 employees were dismissed from the Tartous Construction Authority, exacerbating the region’s already dire economic conditions.

In Latakia, the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment issued a decision earlier this month to dismiss 78 municipal workers without explanation — a move that provoked outrage among staff, who said the decision ignored both their years of service and harsh living conditions, according to the Observatory.

Background: The Syrian Coast Unrest

Between March 6 and 20, 2025, heavy clashes erupted in several parts of Syria’s coastal region. Syrian authorities claimed the fighting began after remnants of the former regime attacked convoys of the General Security Directorate in rural Latakia.

The Ministries of Defense and Interior launched a joint security campaign in response, but the operations were accompanied by widespread violations, including massacres, arbitrary arrests, and looting of civilian property, according to human rights monitors.