Syrian security forces have been deployed heavily in the Alawite heartland on the Mediterranean coast, following reports of mass killings of Alawite civilians. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 532 Alawite civilians have been killed in recent days by security forces and allied groups.
The killings occurred in the coastal regions of Syria and the Latakia mountains, with the Observatory reporting that the victims were killed in “executions” carried out by security personnel or pro-government fighters. The killings were accompanied by looting of homes and properties.
A resident of Baniyas, Samir Haidar, 67, told AFP that two of his brothers and his niece were killed by “armed groups” that entered people’s homes. He managed to escape to a Sunni neighborhood but said, “If I had been five minutes late, I would have been killed… we were saved in the last minutes.”
Defence ministry spokesman Hassan Abdul Ghani said the security forces had “reimposed control” over areas that had seen attacks by Assad loyalists. “It is strictly forbidden to approach any home or attack anyone inside their homes,” he added.
Latakia province security director Mustafa Kneifati said, “We will not allow for sedition or the targeting of any component of the Syrian people. We will not tolerate any acts of revenge under any circumstances.”
The Alawite heartland has been gripped by fear of reprisals for the Assad family’s brutal rule. Social media users have shared posts documenting the killing of Alawite friends and relatives, with one user saying her mother and brothers were all “slaughtered” in their home.
The United Nations envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, decried “very troubling reports of civilian casualties.” He called on all sides to refrain from actions which could “destabilise Syria, and jeopardise a credible and inclusive political transition.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross urged all parties to “ensure unimpeded access to health care and protection of medical facilities.” “First responders and humanitarian workers must be allowed safe access to provide medical aid and to transport the wounded and dead,” it said.
Aron Lund of the Century International think tank said the violence was “a bad omen.” The new government lacks the tools, incentives, and local support base to engage with disgruntled Alawites, he said. “All they have is repressive power, and a lot of that… is made up of jihadist zealots who think Alawites are enemies of God.”