Syrian authorities seek to ‘restore order’ amid reports of mass murders of Alauitas; Security is one of the biggest challenges of the new Islamist Syrian government, which was installed in December
The authorities of the statement on Saturday (8), who seek to “restore the order” in the northwest of the country, the former stronghold of the deposed president where, according to an NGO, more than 1,000 people were killed, including 745 civilians, 125 members of the government security forces and 148 Assad -linked armed group militants.
Security is one of the biggest challenges faced by the new Islamist Syrian government, which was installed in December after a rebellion that overthrew the president in 11 days. Since Thursday, security forces have been involved in violent fighting against men loyal to the deposed president, who ruled the country with an ironhand for 24 years.
The incidents, the first of this magnitude after Assad’s fall, occurred after a bloody attack of former president supporters to the Jableh’s coastal city security forces on Thursday night, according to the authorities.
The next day, security forces began search operations in the area of Latakia, a stronghold of the alauite minority, a branch of the Shiite Islam to which Bashar al Assad and his family belong.
In this context, OSDH indicated in a new report, published on Saturday, the death since Thursday of at least 745 civilians Alauítas, including women and children, in the coastal region, where this community that represents 9% of the country’s population is concentrated.
The NGO, which has a wide network of informants on site, said these civilians were “executed” for “confessional motives” by security agents and pro-government combatants, and that there was also “withdrawal of houses and properties.”
The deaths of these civilians have raised the death toll from Thursday to 1,018, including 273 members of the new security forces and pro-Assad combatants. The Syrian churches denounced on Saturday the “massacres of innocent civilians” and called for the “immediate end of these horrible acts.”
Relhever Roads
A source from the Ministry of Defense cited by the official news agency Sana stated that “the roads leading to the coastal region were closed.” Security forces were asked to “restore order” in Jableh, Tartus and Latakia, said the same source, who reported the arrest of a “large number of looters.” Education Minister Nazir Al Qadri announced the closing of schools on Sunday and Monday in the provinces of Latakia and Tartús, Sana said.
OSDH and other sources published videos on Friday showing dozens of bodies dressed as stacked civilians in the courtyard of a house, with several women crying nearby. The Red Cross International Committee (CIAB) appealed to “safe” access to health and rescue professionals in Western Syria.
Permanent tension
In a country formed by several communities – a majority, Kurdish, Christian, Drusa – the Alauítas were strongly represented in the Military and Security apparatus of the Assad clan, which for over half a century, first with Hafez and then with Bashar, ruled the country authoritatively and repressive.
Since the second was overthrown on December 8, tensions have increased on the Mediterranean coast and mountains, with Assad clan supporters and former Syrian army soldiers attacking new security forces.
Syrian interim president Ahmad al Sharaa has a jihadist past and was the leader of the Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the Islamist group that led the rebellion. Sharaa tried to reassure the minorities promising that the New Syria will be inclusive, but this line is not necessarily shared by the factions that operate under their command and now make up most of the Army and the police, says analyst Aron Lund of Think Tank Century Century International.
“Much of this [nova] Authority is in the hands of radical jihadists ”of Sunni faith,” who consider the enemies of God, “Lund explains, who believes these clashes demonstrate” the fragility of the present government. ” In a speech on Friday, Sharaa asked insurgents in the west of the country to “testify the weapons and income before it is too late.”
*With information from AFP
Posted by Carolina Ferreira
