Since the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, violence against the Alawite minority has surged across Syria. Fighters loyal to the new government have carried out brutal attacks, leading to widespread fear and displacement.
Revenge Killings and Rising Death Toll Syria
Revenge killings between security forces and Assad supporters have claimed around 1,000 lives in just two days, starting on Thursday, March 6.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) confirmed on Saturday, March 8, that gunmen killed 745 civilians, mostly by shooting them at close range. Clashes also left 125 government security personnel and 148 militants affiliated with Assad dead.
Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the interim government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa (also known as Mohammad al-Julani), began targeting the Alawite community, which largely supported Assad. The interim government justified the killings by claiming its forces had responded to attacks from Assad loyalists. Officials dismissed reports of civilian massacres, blaming ‘individual actions’ for the violence.
Massacres and Human Rights Abuses Syria
Gunmen stormed Alawite villages, shooting men in the streets or at their doorsteps. They looted homes and set them on fire. Witnesses reported horrifying atrocities.
“They dragged people into the streets, lined them up, and shot them,” a resident of Baniyasin on Syria’s west coast told Sky News. “They left nobody. The scene I saw was pure horror; it’s just indescribable.”
Survivors described further brutality. Gunmen stripped Alawite women naked before executing them. They also forced a teenage boy to shoot his own family.
Thousands of Alawites fled into the mountains, while others escaped to Lebanon. Some took shelter at the Russian air base in Hmeimim, hoping for protection.
Clashes in Latakia and Tartous
Latakia and Tartous, Syria’s coastal regions with large Alawite populations, have witnessed some of the worst violence. Fighters torched villages and gunned down entire families. Over four days, the conflict killed more than 1,000 people, including 745 civilians.
According to SOHR, the new authorities cut off drinking water and electricity in several Alawite-majority areas of Latakia. Many residents now struggle for basic necessities.
Alawites: A Community Under Siege
The Alawites, who make up about 10–15% of Syria’s population, stood as a pillar of Assad’s rule. Many held high-ranking government and military positions. Since Assad’s fall, officials fired thousands from their jobs. Gunmen executed former soldiers who had reconciled with the new authorities.
The massacres and systematic attacks on Alawites have sparked global outrage. The United Nations and several countries have called for immediate intervention to stop the violence.
Nasser, an Alawite resident, urged the world to act. “The world must protect the Alawites. We are Syrian citizens loyal to our country. Since Assad’s fall, they have targeted us just for our identity.”
As bloodshed continues, Syria’s new government faces mounting pressure to control its forces and prevent further sectarian reprisals. However, with tensions at an all-time high, peace remains a distant hope.