Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has downplayed the country’s latest surge in violence as “expected challenges,” even as the death toll from ongoing clashes between pro-government forces and supporters of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad has risen to 642, according to independent monitors.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), a UK-based watchdog, reported on Sunday that both pro-Assad groups and government forces were responsible for the escalating bloodshed. The organization attributed 315 deaths to “non-state armed groups” loyal to Assad, including 167 members of Syria’s security forces and 148 civilians. Meanwhile, it said at least 327 people—including civilians and disarmed militants—were killed by government forces and affiliated groups.

Footage of mass graves and alleged execution-style killings has emerged, fueling concerns of widespread atrocities. CNN has not independently verified these reports and has reached out to Syrian authorities for comment.

Growing International Alarm Over Sectarian Violence

The latest clashes mark the most intense fighting since Assad was deposed in December by Sunni Islamist militants, who have since sought to reshape Syria’s political and sectarian landscape. Assad, a member of the Alawite minority sect, had long relied on support from Alawite strongholds along the Mediterranean coast, particularly in Latakia and Tartous.

While some Alawite groups surrendered their weapons after Assad’s fall, others remain heavily armed, contributing to the ongoing violence. The latest wave of conflict underscores the difficulty Syria’s new regime faces in stabilizing a deeply divided country.

Interim President Sharaa addressed the unrest during a visit to a Damascus mosque, where he urged national unity.

“What is happening in the country are expected challenges,” Sharaa said. “We must preserve national unity and civil peace… We are capable of living together in this country, as much as we can.”

U.S. Condemns Killings, Calls for Accountability

As the violence escalated, the United States issued a strong condemnation of the attacks. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced what he described as “radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis,” who he said were responsible for killings in western Syria in recent days.

“The United States stands with religious and ethnic minorities in Syria,” Rubio said in a statement. “Interim authorities must hold the perpetrators of these massacres accountable.”

A Fragile New Order

Despite efforts by Syria’s interim government to assert control, the country remains deeply fractured, with remnants of pro-Assad forces continuing to resist the new regime.

The Syrian leadership faces the daunting task of disarming militant groups, rebuilding state institutions, and preventing further sectarian reprisals. Whether Sharaa’s calls for unity will ease tensions—or if the country will descend into further chaos—remains to be seen.

Russian missile strikes on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dobropillia overnight have killed 11 people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday, describing the attack as further proof that Russia’s objectives remain unchanged. The strikes, which also left over 30 people injured, including five children, have heightened concerns as Ukraine faces growing military pressure while awaiting renewed U.S. support.

Escalating Russian Attacks Amid U.S. Aid Freeze

The attacks come at a pivotal moment in the war, with the United States pausing military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine as part of efforts to pressure Kyiv into negotiations for a peace deal. The suspension has left Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian assaults, further tilting the battlefield in Moscow’s favor.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump—who has been pushing for a ceasefire—suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin was merely responding to battlefield conditions, saying he was “doing what anybody else would do” in taking advantage of Ukraine’s weakened position.

Zelensky condemned the strikes as “a vile and inhumane tactic of intimidation”, calling for stronger air defenses and tougher sanctions against Russia.

“Everything that helps Putin finance the war must break,” Zelensky stated, emphasizing the need for continued international pressure.

Deadly Toll Across Ukraine

Russian attacks in the past 24 hours have killed at least 23 people and wounded over 50 others in eastern and southern Ukraine, local officials reported.

• In Donetsk, Russian strikes killed nine people and injured 13.
• A drone attack in the Kharkiv region killed three people and wounded seven.
• In Kherson, five people were injured in Russian strikes.

Ukraine’s air force said it had intercepted 79 out of 145 drones launched by Russia overnight, while at least 54 drones did not reach their intended targets. Additionally, Russian forces fired three missiles, with Ukraine’s defenses managing to intercept one.

The strikes come just days after a devastating Russian airstrike on Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky’s hometown, adding to the growing toll on Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine’s Kursk Incursion Under Pressure

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military is facing mounting pressure in the Russian region of Kursk, where its forces are at risk of losing a key logistical route. Ukrainian and Russian military bloggers have reported a deteriorating situation following the arrival of 12,000 North Korean troops, which have bolstered Russia’s efforts to reclaim lost ground.

Ukraine had launched a surprise incursion into Kursk in August, marking the first foreign invasion of Russian territory since World War II. The move was designed to divert Russian forces from eastern Ukraine and strengthen Kyiv’s position in future ceasefire talks.

However, Ukraine has now lost nearly half of the territory it had seized in Kursk, and Russian forces have advanced into Ukraine’s Sumy region, potentially cutting off Ukrainian troops still operating in Kursk.

With the battlefield shifting and the future of U.S. military aid uncertain, Ukraine faces an increasingly difficult fight to maintain its defensive lines while keeping pressure on Russia’s own borders.

Zelensky is set to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman next week to discuss Kyiv’s military needs and ongoing negotiations with the United States, signaling a critical moment in the war’s trajectory.

In a major crackdown on the drug trade, France will transfer 200 of its most dangerous drug traffickers to high-security prisons, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin announced on Thursday. The move is aimed at preventing incarcerated traffickers from continuing their criminal operations from behind bars.

Speaking in an interview with France 2, Darmanin emphasized his commitment to tackling the drug trade, which has been a key priority since he assumed the role in December. He described the measure as a decisive strike against organized crime, stating, “I have decided to strike hard.”

The inmates will be transferred to two maximum-security facilities: Vendin-le-Vieil prison in the northern Pas-de-Calais department and Condé-sur-Sarthe prison in the western Orne department. The first group will be relocated by late July, while the second transfer will be completed by mid-October.

“That makes 200 drug traffickers, who by October 15, will be completely isolated from the rest of society,” Darmanin said, highlighting that the prisons will undergo renovations to make them “completely hermetic”—ensuring absolute isolation from external networks.

The Justice Minister’s plan involves relocating inmates within the French prison system to free up space at the two designated facilities. However, he assured that the most dangerous inmates, including Islamist terrorists and high-risk criminals, would remain in place. “We will leave the most dangerous people in place,” he confirmed.

Darmanin’s initiative follows his recent consultations with European counterparts on strategies to combat drug trafficking. Last month, he visited Italy to tour high-security prisons and met with Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio and National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor Giovanni Melillo to discuss effective measures.

Drug-related violence remains a significant concern in France. According to the French Ministry of the Interior, 110 people were killed and 341 others injured in drug-related incidents last year alone. The government hopes that isolating key traffickers will help curb criminal activities linked to the illicit drug trade.

The new measures are part of a broader effort by the French government to strengthen law enforcement and dismantle drug networks. Darmanin has vowed to continue pushing for stricter policies and increased cooperation with European partners in the fight against organized crime.