Reports indicate that over 1,000 individuals have died in Syria amid fierce clashes between Syrian security forces and supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

According to human rights advocates, at least 270 fatalities have been attributed to these confrontations, including 148 pro-Assad fighters and 125 government security personnel.

Additionally, over 740 Alawite civilians, a sect to which Assad himself belongs, are reported to have lost their lives.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a British-based organization monitoring the conflict, has characterized the killings of Alawite civilians as one of the largest massacres since the onset of the Syrian civil war, although official figures have not yet corroborated these claims.

The SOHR reports indicate that massacres occurred in at least 29 locations within the provinces of Latakia, Tartus, and Hama, predominantly populated by Alawites.

Witnesses from Alawite towns and villages have relayed incidents of armed assailants executing Alawites in public spaces or outside their homes, with the majority of the deceased being men.

This violence has led to widespread displacement, prompting thousands of residents to flee into the mountainous regions.

The clashes erupted on Thursday, marking the most significant outbreak of violence since Assad fled to Russia in early December following opposition pressure.

The new authorities claim the violence was a response to attacks from remnants of Assad's troops, attributing the unrest to 'individual actions'.

Contrarily, other reports suggest that armed supporters of the transitional government might be responsible, as they allegedly defied orders from Damascus.

State media has posited that unidentified individuals donned government troop uniforms to instigate violence with the goal of sparking a civil conflict.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which aims to document human rights abuses in Syria, operates from the UK and maintains an independent status.

However, its reports are challenging to verify independently.

Bashar al-Assad, who presided over Syria for more than two decades, was succeeded by a transitional government led by al-Sharaa, which is now attempting to restore security and revive the economy.

At his inauguration, al-Sharaa pledged to include all factions in a political renewal process while respecting human rights, aiming to facilitate the lifting of Western sanctions against the country.

In response to the escalating security situation, high-ranking officials from Turkey, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq are reportedly convening in Amman for regional security discussions.

Turkish diplomatic sources have indicated that a primary focus of these talks will be the threat posed by extremist groups like ISIS, which still detain thousands of fighters in prisons located in northeastern Syria.

On Sunday, foreign and defense ministers, along with intelligence chiefs from the four countries, will address pressing security threats, counter-terrorism efforts, and organized crime.