Hundreds of people were killed in Syria over four days after violent clashes between the army and loyalists of the deposed president Bashar al-Assad swept its western coastal region.

A monitoring group says 973 civilians have been killed in revenge attacks against the Alawite sect since Thursday.

At least 70 people have died in armed clashes between Syria's security forces and forces still loyal to deposed dictator Bashir al-Assad, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Assaults on the country's Alawite minority continue despite promises that Syria's new leaders will carve out a future that includes all communities.