While the clashes started in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, its ripple effects are being felt in Damascus as well. “We announce the formation of a fact-finding committee regarding the events on the coast and form a higher committee,” Sharaa said in an address to the nation on Sunday following days of violent unrest

In his address, the Syrian leader made it clear that an “independent committee” had been formed to “investigate the violations against civilians and identify those responsible for them”, adding that the perpetrators would be referred to court.

“The Committee has the right to use whoever it deems appropriate to perform its duties, and submit its report to the Presidency of the Republic within a maximum period of thirty days from the date of issuance of this decision,” the presidency’s statement read.

However, the pro-Assad militants are not the only challenge Sharaa is facing regarding bringing Syria back to stability. The interim president has to strike a fine balance between several factions and geopolitical allies and clean its image on the global stage at the same time. Here’s a look at why Sharaa’s concerns are beyond the challenges posed by Assad loyalists.

The ongoing fighting began after pro-Assad fighters coordinated attacks on security forces on Thursday. These attacks spiralled into revenge killings as thousands of armed supporters of Syria’s new leadership went to the coastal areas to support the security forces. According to London-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory, the clashes led to over 1,000 deaths in the span of a few days.

In the midst of all this, Sharaa have been calling for “national unity”. “We have to preserve national unity and domestic peace. We can live together,” the president said.

“Rest assured about Syria, this country has the characteristics for survival … What is currently happening in Syria is within the expected challenges,” he said.

However, the blind loyalty to Assad, who is said to have been living in-exile in Russia, is not the only reason, these militant groups are fighting pro-government forces. There is more to the story.

When Sharaa first came to power, he pledged to get rid of his and his group’s “ jihadist” past and ensure the inclusivity of all religious groups and sects in Syrian society. Despite these promises, the minority groups in the country still feel isolated and neglected.

The coastal areas of Syria where the infighting is taking place are also the heartland of Assad’s Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shia Islam. The members of this sect held a prominent role in the erstwhile Syrian regime. However, with the arrival of the Sunni Muslim-led rebels, the Alawite sect lost the power and privilege it once had.

Many of them now claim that they are under attack and often face discrimination. On Friday, activists argued that gunmen had killed dozens of male residents in Alawite areas, which would further exacerbate tensions and make people lose faith in the interim government. The Syrian Observatory said the gunmen were from the government’s security forces, although this has not been verified. Apart from this, Sharaa is also facing faction disputes among his allies.

Sharaa was confirmed to the new role following a meeting of the leaders of the rebel factions in January this year. Apart from making this announcement, a military spokesperson also announced a series of other changes. This included the dissolution of the Syrian parliament, the formation of an appointed legislative council, and the cancellation of the country’s 2012 constitution.

The Syrian military and security agencies were also dissolved and were replaced by the new security institutions and army. The military spokesperson made it clear, that all armed factions in Syria are to be disbanded since they will be absorbed in the new national army. But there was a catch

In an ideal circumstance, the order to dissolve the armed factions would entail the dissolution of the HTS. However, the order did not mention the rebel group’s name, leaving many surprised. After assuming the presidential role, Sharaa, along with his minister of defence, has held near-daily meetings with rebel factions and given their leaders key posts within the interim government.

However, there are still significant challenges regarding more radical Islamist rebel factions – many of which make up part of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army – that are not as disciplined. Things become even more complicated when different factions are supported by different foreign actors who are at war with each other. One major case is the tussle between groups supported by Turkey and the ones supported by Kurds.