Ninth anniversary of Latakia massacre | SOHR affirms that no conciliation can be reached without holding accountable criminals and all those who aided and abetted the killing of Syrians
On August 4, 2022, Syrians marked the ninth anniversary of Latakia massacre, in which tens of unarmed civilians, including women and children, were killed by extremist groups affiliated to Islamist factions opposing the Syrian regime. These groups carried out a “sectarian cleansing” under a campaign they called “Aisha Um Al-Mu’meneen War.”
The inhumane campaign targeted parts of the northern countryside of Latakia, where innocent civilians were slaughtered with knives and cleavers. Moreover, the “butchers” had ripped open abdomens of pregnant women and extracted fetuses, while these women were still alive, before slaughtering them.
As the “law of jungle” prevails in all Syrian territory and perpetrators of that horrific massacre escaped accountability for their heinous crime which was committed in Jabal Al-Akrad and Jabal Al-Tukeman in the northern countryside of Latakia, adjacent to the Syria-Turkey border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) would like to bring to mind the world of that “bloody day,” and stresses that this crime and other inhumane crimes committed in Syrian territory remain a blot on the international community and human rights organisations which kept silence and take no action to stop such reprehensible practices.
We, at SOHR, emphasize that the brining of every one involved into this horrific crime must top the priorities of the international community’s objectives to prosecute and try all criminals. Turning-a-blind-eye to every violation against human rights contributes to prevalence of crimes and encourages criminals and commit more violations. We call for setting a mechanism urgently to put an end to the violations and humiliation against civilians by extremist groups, occupying powers and regime forces.
We would like to remind the international community that bloodshed in Syria has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians and forced millions others to displaced, as well as the detention of thousands.
We also would like to highlight the catastrophic situation in front of the entire world, so that all international and relevant institutions undertake their responsibilities towards the dramatic developments and the sharply deteriorating situation in Syria since 2011.
The massacre of Latakia remains one of the most horrific massacres committed in Syria since the beginning of the war and a blatant violation to human rights enshrined in all international laws. We, at SOHR, also confirms that horrific massacres are committed by different perpetrators till today across the entire Syrian geography, no matter which power dominates, in light of the inaction and “shameful” silence by all Arab and international powers and media blackout.
The massacres of Latakia, Khan Shaykhoun, Homs, Hatla and others, as well as the barrel bomb attack by helicopters remain conclusive evidence on the most violent war in the 21st Century and on the plight millions of Syrians which can never be healed before the overthrowing and punishing perpetrators of the heinous crimes committed in Syria.
Believing in the promotion of humanitarian principles and confirming our adherence to all international laws and conventions defending human rights, we, at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, call upon the international community to adopt a firm stance to hold accountable criminals and all those who aided and abetted crimes against humanity in Syria. We also appeal to the international community not to abandon its obligations and responsibilities to bring commanders and violators of opposition factions and regime figures and cronies close to ruling class to international courts.