Syria: More than 1,000 dead as security forces and Assad loyalists clash in one of the deadliest acts of violence

More than 1,000 people have died in two days of clashes between Syrian security forces and allied forces and supporters of ousted President Bashar Assad, according to a war monitoring group.

This marks one of the deadliest episodes in Syria's 14-year conflict.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported deaths in more than 20 locations across the Latakia, Tartus, and Hama governorates.

It stated that, in addition to 745 civilians killed, mostly in close-range shootings, 125 government security force members and 148 militants affiliated with Assad were killed.

Assad was overthrown last December after decades of dynastic rule by his family, marked by severe repression and a devastating civil war.

The Observatory noted that most of the civilians killed were from the country’s Alawite religious minority.

Syria's government beefs up security in coastal Alawite-dominated areas

Syrian security forces were deployed in the Alawite heartland on the Mediterranean coast.

The move was an attempt to restore order, after the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that government and allied forces killed more than 500 civilians from the Alawite religious minority in recent days.

The killings came after deadly clashes broke out on Thursday between Syria's new authorities and gunmen loyal to toppled president Bashar Assad, himself an Alawite.

Syria's official SANA news agency reported that security forces had deployed to Latakia, as well as Jableh and Baniyas farther south.

Defence ministry spokesman Hassan Abdul Ghani said security forces had "reimposed control" over areas that had seen attacks by Assad loyalists.

"It is strictly forbidden to approach any home or attack anyone inside their homes," Ghani said.

Latakia province security director Mustafa Kneifati said that "sedition or the targeting of any component of the Syrian people" would not be allowed.

"We will not tolerate any acts of revenge under any circumstances," he told SANA.

The Observatory reported that the deployment of reinforcements had brought a "relative return to calm" in the region.