A mass grave containing the remains of security and police personnel was discovered near the city of Qardaha in northwestern Syria, the state news agency SANA reported on Sunday.

“A horrific massacre was carried out by remnants of the fallen regime against the police and security forces in the city of Qardaha,” SANA said.

The news agency, citing a security source in Latakia province, said the mass grave was found in the vicinity of Qardaha, without giving details about when the killings happened.

Earlier on Sunday, Syria’s Defense Ministry announced the start of the second phase of a military operation aimed at pursuing remnants of the deposed Assad regime in rural and mountainous areas, following the restoration of security in coastal cities.

In recent days, the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus have seen heightened security tensions amid coordinated attacks by supporters of the ousted regime. These attacks – described as the most severe since the regime’s fall in December – targeted security patrols, checkpoints, and hospitals, resulting in deaths and injuries.

In response, security and military forces launched sweeping operations to track down the attackers, leading to fierce clashes.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period on Jan. 29.