Revenge Killings in Syria: Over a Thousand Dead in Two Days
After the clashes erupted last Thursday, resulting in the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, the new government in Damascus faces significant challenges three months after the insurgents took control.
In the village of Al-Janoudiya, west of Idlib, in coastal Syria, male residents prayed during the funeral of four Syrian security force members killed in clashes with loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad on Saturday, March 8, 2025.
Beirut: According to a war monitoring group, more than a thousand civilians have been killed in two days of violent clashes between Syrian security forces and Bashar al-Assad’s loyalists. This marks one of the deadliest bouts of violence since the Syrian conflict began 14 years ago.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 745 civilians were killed. Additionally, 125 members of the government security forces and 148 militants affiliated with Assad’s armed groups died in close-range gunfire attacks. It was also reported that large areas around the city of Latakia have been cut off from electricity and drinking water.
After the clashes erupted last Thursday, which led to the ousting of Assad, the new government in Damascus is facing significant issues three months after the insurgents took power.
Heavy Clashes by Syrian Forces in the Alawite Heartland of the Mediterranean Coast: Over 500 Civilian Deaths
Revenge Killings between Sunnis and Alawites
The revenge killings, which began on Thursday, targeted members of Assad’s Alawite sect by Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the new government. This violence has become a major blow to the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, which played a significant role in the overthrow of the previous government. For decades, the Alawites had been the main support base for Assad’s regime.
Gunmen have killed Alawites, many of them men, by shooting them in the streets or at their doorsteps. Several homes of Alawites have been looted, and fires were reported in different areas. Two residents from Syria’s coastal areas, who sought shelter, spoke to the news agency but asked not to be identified due to fear of retaliation.
2 Days Of Clashes, Revenge Killings Leave Over 1,000 Dead In Syria https://t.co/W7WIy9JkdF@vishalv054 reports pic.twitter.com/SDyEq2F9sK
— NDTV WORLD (@NDTVWORLD) March 9, 2025
Thousands of people have fled to nearby mountains for safety, fearing being killed by the gunmen.
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