As more massacres documented | The number of people killed during security operations in Syrian coastline exceeds 2,000

The number of civilians and combatants who were killed during the security campaign, which came as a response to attacks by Alawite gunmen on security forces on March 6, has increased to 2,089. The fatalities are distributed as follows:

 

• 273 members of security forces and the Ministry of Defence.

 

• 259 Alawite gunmen affiliated with the former regime.

 

• 1,557 civilians, mostly executed over sectarian affiliation.

 

In this context, SOHR activists have documented two new massacres today in Latakia and other individual incidents in Latakia and Tartus, which left 57 civilian fatalities, mostly were from Alawite community; they are distributed as follows:

 

-Latakia: 50 civilian fatalities:

 

• Yarti village: 2

 

• Sonobar village: 26

 

• Ain Al-Arous village: 18

 

• Al-Awamiyah village: 4

 

-Tartus: Seven civilian fatalities:

 

• Tartus city: 1

 

• Kartu village: 3

 

• Al-Manzalah village: 2

 

• Baniyas: 1

 

Since the beginning of dramatic developments in the Syrian coastline and mountain areas, the Syrian Observatory has documented 58 massacres and other individual incidents of killing and executing civilians in four provinces.

 

Here is a regional distribution of civilian fatalities:

 

• Latakia: 795

 

• Tartus: 487

 

• Hama: 262

 

• Homs: 13

 

On March 6, Alawite gunmen attacked checkpoints of security forces and the Ministry of Defence in the Syrian coastline. The attack was followed by fierce clashes and large-scale security campaigns which lasted for three days.

 

The living situation then deteriorating dramatically in the Syrian coastline and nearby mountain areas over the suspension of delivering food products and daily necessities during the security operations, as well as the daily protests by residents.

 

It is worth noting that thousands of civilians remain in the Russian base in Hmeimim, were they have escaped from their houses during the mass executions and crimes committed by members of the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Ministry of Defence and proxy gunmen against people of Alawite community.

 

Those civilians refuse to leave the Russian base and return to their homes, although local authorities asked them to return and vowed to provide protection for them.

 

The Syrian Observatory addresses an urgent appeal to Syrian authorities in Damascus to hold accountable members of security forces and the Ministry of Defence who have been involved in executions committed against innocent civilians, and stresses that escaping accountability for such crimes encourages more crimes in the future; this, in turn, threatens the political and social stability and unity in Syria.