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Syrian Security Forces Accused of Killing Hundreds of Alawite Civilians in Coastal Violence.
Syrian security forces have been accused of killing hundreds of civilians from the Alawite minority amid ongoing violence along the country's coast, according to a war monitoring group.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that approximately 745 Alawite civilians were killed in around 30 "massacres" on Friday and Saturday. However, BBC News has been unable to independently verify these claims.
The violence has forced hundreds of people to flee the affected region, a stronghold of former president Bashar al-Assad, who also belongs to the Alawite sect.
According to SOHR, more than 1,000 people have been killed over the past two days, marking the deadliest period in Syria since the fall of Assad’s government in December. This toll includes dozens of government troops and pro-Assad fighters engaged in fierce clashes in Latakia and Tartous provinces since Thursday.
SOHR estimates that 125 members of Islamist-led government security forces and 148 pro-Assad fighters have died in the violence.
A spokesperson for Syria’s defence ministry told the state-run Sana news agency that the government had regained control following "treacherous attacks" on its security personnel.
The ongoing conflict has left the Alawite community in "a state of horror," a local activist told the BBC on Friday, with large numbers fleeing the affected areas.
Many displaced civilians have sought refuge at Russia’s Hmeimim military base in Latakia, where Reuters footage captured crowds chanting for Russian protection. Additionally, local media reports indicate that dozens of families have crossed into neighboring Lebanon.
The UN’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, expressed deep concern over reports of civilian casualties in Syria’s coastal areas. He urged all parties to avoid actions that could further destabilize the country and hinder progress toward a "credible and inclusive political transition."
Alawites, a sect rooted in Shia Islam, constitute about 10% of Syria’s population, which is predominantly Sunni Muslim.
