Syrian military court sentences two to death over March 2025 coastal violence
A military court in Aleppo sentenced two men to death and a third to 12 years in prison over the March 2025 violence in Syria's coastal region, according to Syrian state media.
Updated (version 2). Rewritten with the latest reporting.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2A Syrian military court in Aleppo on Thursday 15 October 2026 sentenced two men to death and a third to 12 years in prison over violence in Syria's coastal region in March 2025, according to Syrian state media. Anadolu AgencyN “A Syrian military court on Thursday sentenced two people to death and another to 12 years in prison” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Arab NewsRC “state news agency SANA reported on Thursday” Read at Arab News ↗ Mixed · 2The death sentences went to al-Waddah Ismail (spelled Waddah Ismail by Arab News) and Maher Ali, who were convicted of acts intended to provoke civil war and sectarian fighting and of leading armed groups with the aim of attacking government forces. Anadolu AgencyN “handed down death sentences to al-Waddah Ismail and Maher Ali” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Arab NewsRC “as well as leading armed groups with the aim of attacking public forces” Read at Arab News ↗ Mixed · 2A third defendant, Maher Othman, received 12 years in prison; Anadolu said the court did not immediately specify his charges, while Arab News reported he was convicted of complicity in both offenses. Anadolu AgencyN “without immediately specifying the charges on which he was convicted” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Arab NewsRC “was convicted of complicity in both offenses and sentenced to 12 years in prison” Read at Arab News ↗
Right · 1Arab News said the verdicts follow rulings on 17 September against four defendants, of whom one was sentenced to death, one to life imprisonment and one to 20 years, while the fourth was acquitted. Arab NewsRC “One was sentenced to death, another to life imprisonment and a third to 20 years in prison, while the fourth was acquitted.” Read at Arab News ↗ Right · 1Public trials began at the Palace of Justice in Aleppo on 18 November 2025 with victims' relatives attending, and later hearings reviewed evidence and the defendants' legal arguments. Arab NewsRC “Public trials began at the Palace of Justice in Aleppo on Nov. 18, 2025, with the victims’ relatives in attendance.” Read at Arab News ↗ Centre · 1The proceedings concern the March 2025 violence in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, where Anadolu says gunmen loyal to the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime attacked security forces for several days, killing hundreds. Anadolu AgencyN “gunmen loyal to the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime launched attacks against security forces, killing hundreds” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Right · 1A national investigation commission reported on 22 July 2025 that remnants of the former regime attacked army and security facilities on 6 March, killing 238 personnel, and that abuses against civilians afterwards were committed by individuals and small groups for varying motives rather than as an organised, systematic campaign. Arab NewsRC “remnants of the former Syrian regime had launched widespread attacks on army and security facilities on March 6, killing 238 personnel.”“rather than as part of an organized, systematic campaign” Read at Arab News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Short wire-style report on the verdicts, attributed to state media, with the court's stated charges and the attacks by Assad loyalists as background.
- Emphasis
- The sentences, the named defendants and the loyalist attacks on security forces.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention earlier verdicts, the trial's start or the national commission's findings on civilian abuses.
- Charged language
- “ousted Bashar al-Assad regime”
- For example
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“state media reported” — Anadolu Agency
“gunmen loyal to the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime launched attacks against security forces, killing hundreds” — Anadolu Agency
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Reports the verdicts via SANA and places them in a procedural sequence of earlier rulings, the trial's start and the commission's report.
- Emphasis
- Earlier 17 September verdicts, the trial timeline and the commission's finding that abuses were not systematic.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not name the provinces of Latakia and Tartus or describe the attackers beyond 'remnants of the former Syrian regime'.
- Charged language
- “remnants of the former Syrian regime”
What every side reports
- A military court in Aleppo sentenced two men to death and a third to 12 years in prison on 15 October 2026.
- The convictions concern the March 2025 violence in Syria's coastal region.
- The death sentences went to Ismail and Maher Ali; Maher Othman received 12 years.
- The information comes from Syrian state media.
Where accounts differ
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Charges against Maher Othman
- Centre
- The court did not immediately specify his charges.
- Right
- He was convicted of complicity in both offenses.
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Syria sentences 2 people to death over deadly 2025 coastal violence
Neutral Brief, state-media-sourced report of the verdicts with background on loyalist attacks.
Right1 article
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Syrian court sentences 2 men to death over violent attacks
Neutral Verdict report set in the context of earlier rulings, the trial and the national commission's findings.
- 15 Oct 09:55 First Anadolu AgencyN Syria sentences 2 people to death over deadly 2025 coastal violence
- 15 Oct 12:07 +2h 12m Arab NewsRC Syrian court sentences 2 men to death over violent attacks
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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