A government probe confirms mass killings of Alawite civilians in March; 298 suspects identified as Syria grapples with deepening sectarian divides after Assad’s fall.
A Syrian government committee has confirmed that at least 1,426 civilians—mostly from the minority Alawite community—were killed in a wave of sectarian violence that swept through the country’s coastal regions earlier this year. The report, released Tuesday, also identified 298 suspects implicated in what officials describe as some of the bloodiest days since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December.
The violence occurred over three days in March, in the provinces of Tartous, Latakia, and Hama—areas that form the traditional stronghold of the Alawite population. The killings came amid a power vacuum following Assad’s ouster and have sparked new questions about Syria’s fragile post-war order.
The government-appointed committee investigating the attacks documented mass atrocities, including summary executions, torture, looting, and the burning of homes. The victims, officials said, included 90 women and “mostly civilians.” The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights previously reported over 1,700 deaths during the same period.
Yasser al-Farhan, the committee’s spokesman, said the investigation included more than 30 on-site visits and hundreds of witness testimonies. While 298 individuals have been named as suspects, only 37 have been arrested so far. Officials declined to say how many of those arrested were part of Syria’s security or armed forces.
Despite the scale of the violence, the committee claimed it found “no evidence that Syria’s military leadership ordered attacks on the Alawite community.” Instead, it alleged that members of certain military factions had acted independently and in violation of orders.
Public Doubt and Grief
For many survivors, the report provides little closure.
Jana Mustafa, a 24-year-old from Baniyas whose father was killed during the March violence, said the facts were never in question. “The number of bodies, the mass graves, the screams of the victims — we knew what happened,” she said. “This isn’t just about violations. This was an attack on an entire sect.”
Rama Hussein, who lost six family members in the Jableh region, expressed deep frustration with the committee. “No one took my testimony, no one came to visit,” she said. “I want real accountability, not just press conferences.”
Human rights groups support claims that entire families were deliberately targeted based on their sect. Gunmen reportedly asked residents if they were Alawite or Sunni before deciding whether to kill them.
The committee said it referred two lists of suspects to the judiciary and used social media footage to help identify some perpetrators. However, many Syrians remain skeptical about whether any meaningful justice will follow.
A Nation Still Tearing at the Seams
As the committee presented its findings, violence flared again — this time in Suwayda province, home to Syria’s Druze community. Clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze armed groups, killing hundreds and displacing more than 128,500 people. Though a ceasefire has calmed the area, tensions remain high.
Committee chair Jumaa al-Anzi said the Suwayda violence fell outside the committee’s jurisdiction but acknowledged the gravity of the situation. “It is painful for all Syrians,” he said. “Time will reveal what happened and who is responsible.”
Syria’s new leadership under President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces a daunting challenge: uniting a fractured nation and preventing the next eruption of sectarian bloodshed.