At least 1,383 civilians, most of them Alawites, have been killed in a surge of violence along Syria’s Mediterranean coast, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Britain-based war monitor reported that the killings, primarily through executions by security forces and allied groups, occurred after clashes erupted last week in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, as well as the central province of Hama.
The violence began on Thursday when gunmen loyal to former president Bashar al-Assad launched attacks on the newly established security forces. The clashes resulted in significant casualties on both sides, with at least 231 security personnel and 250 pro-Assad fighters killed, according to official and Observatory sources.
Reports from the Observatory indicate that the security forces and their allies engaged in “field executions, forced displacement, and burning of homes,” with no legal repercussions. The number of fatalities continues to rise as more bodies are discovered, often in farmland or homes, as families search for missing loved ones.
A widely circulated video, verified by the Observatory, depicts an elderly woman, identified as Zarqa Sebahiya, 86, sitting beside the bodies of two men believed to be her sons. Fighters can be seen in the background, and a voice off-camera threatens the Alawite community. Sebahiya’s daughter later confirmed to the Observatory that she had been guarding the bodies for four days, hoping to give them a proper burial.
The United Nations Human Rights Office has also documented evidence of “summary executions” that appear to be motivated by sectarian revenge. Since Assad’s ouster in December, many Alawites fear reprisals for the brutal rule associated with his regime.
Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Sunni Islamist group that toppled Assad, has pledged to hold perpetrators accountable. He has established a fact-finding committee to investigate the violence. Committee spokesperson Yasser al-Farhan affirmed Syria’s commitment to preventing unlawful revenge and ensuring accountability. Authorities have arrested at least seven individuals since Monday for alleged crimes against civilians.
Despite its current role in governance, HTS remains designated as a terrorist organization by multiple governments, including the United States, raising concerns about the long-term stability of the region.
