Latakia: Over 300 Alawite civilians have been brutally killed in the coastal region of Syria, marking a significant escalation in violence. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “311 Alawite civilians were killed in the coastal region… by security forces and allied groups” since Thursday. These killings were described as executions conducted by security personnel or pro-government fighters, accompanied by “looting of homes and properties.”
According to National News Agency – Lebanon, these recent deaths have raised the overall toll to 524 people, including 93 members of the new government’s security forces and 120 pro-Assad fighters. State news agency SANA reported that “deposed regime remnants” launched an attack on a national hospital in Latakia, which was repelled by security forces.
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has urged insurgents to “lay down your weapons and surrender before it’s too late,” as Western powers and Syria’s neighbors emphasize the importance of unity in rebuilding the war-torn nation. The Observatory, based in Britain, has reported several massacres in recent days, with women and children among the victims.
“The vast majority of the victims were summarily executed by elements affiliated with the Ministry of Defense and the Interior,” the Observatory stated. Activists have released footage showing dozens of bodies in civilian clothing outside a house, with blood stains and women mourning. Other videos appeared to show men in military attire shooting civilians at close range.
Graphic footage has been widely circulated on social media platforms, documenting egregious war crimes. Some videos show the moment several unarmed Syrian citizens were shot dead by security forces, with several victims humiliated before execution. The SOHR has released a detailed list of locations where these atrocities were committed, providing a comprehensive account of the escalating violence across Syria.
In Baniyas, Tartus countryside, 60 civilians, including 10 women and 5 children, were executed by gunfire in an “intense attack.” In the Dweir Baabda, Beit Aana, Jableh countryside, Latakia, 7 civilians were shot dead directly. In Al-Shir village, Latakia countryside, 24 civilians were killed in a mass summary execution. In Al-Mukhtariyah village, Al-Haffa region, Latakia, 38 civilians were shot at close range. In Al-Haffa town, Latakia, 7 civilians succumbed to severe gunshot wounds sustained to their heads or chests. In Yahmour, Tartus countryside, two young men attempting to flee the village were shot dead. In Salhab, Hama countryside, Sheikh Shaaban Mansour and his son were executed after being detained by authorities, with the 90-year-old Alawite Sheikh’s body found lying on the road. In Qarfis village, Latakia, 22 civilians were killed in an attack targeting village homes.
The SOHR has called on the international community to take action, describing these actions as grave human rights violations. They urge the dispatch of specialized investigative teams to document these crimes and call on Syrian authorities to hold accountable those involved in the executions. The Observatory warned that “impunity will only encourage the repetition of such crimes in the future, posing a serious threat to Syria’s political and societal stability in the post-Assad era.”