Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa has issued a plea for peace, as the country has spent days gripped by some of the worst violence in over a decade, with over 1000 people killed.
Ex-President Bashar al-Assad's 24-year leadership ended when he was ousted in December of last year by rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) who stormed the capital Damascus and declared victory over the man they described as a "tyrant".
On Thursday, soldiers loyal to the ousted Bashar al-Assad launched a surprise ambush on the army of Syria's new rulers and government infrastructure in the western provinces of Latakia and Tartus resulting in days of bloodshed.
Human rights monitors have reported differing numbers on the amount of casualties.
Recent numbers from the the UK-based Syrian Human Rights Observatory suggest around 745 civilians have been killed, mostly in massacres, along with 125 killed from government security forces and 148 Assad loyalists in the country's western coastal regions.
The HTS has been accused of carrying out revenge killings and executions against members of Syria's Alawite minority (10% of the population) and supporters of al-Assad which has resulted in the ongoing violence between the two groups.
Reports have circulated of the looting of Alawite homes, setting fire to buildings, gunmen shooting Alawite men in the streets or at the gates of their homes, bodies strewn on the streets and on the roofs of buildings.
The new government said it was responding to attacks from remnants of Assad's forces - and blamed "individual actions" for the attacks.
The current Syrian leader issued a call for calm in an address to worshippers at a Damascus mosque on Sunday.
"We must maintain national unity and civil peace in the country as much as we can,” said al-Sharaa.
Executive director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), Fadel Abdul Ghany, has said there was evidence of potential Russian and Iranian involvement in the coordination the attacks.
The ex-President belongs to the Alawite community and fled to Russia after he was removed from power.
"We have an indication that those happened in cooperation with Hmeimim (air) base, which is controlled by Russia,” he added “leaked records released from some Assad remnants declare that there was a coordination between them.
"After those attacks, lots of Iranian media also highlighted those attacks and there was a mobilisation behind those attacks," said Abdul Ghany.
The Syrian presidency announced the forming of an “independent committee” to “investigate the violations against civilians and identify those responsible”, with perpetrators referred to the court system.
United Nations rights chief Volker Turk has also demanded prompt investigations into the violent killings saying those responsible must be held to account.
Turk said announcements by the country’s authorities to respect the law need to be followed by action to protect Syrians and to ensure accountability for abuses.
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