Damascus: Nearly 1,000 people have been killed in just two days as Syria plunges into brutal revenge killings between security forces and supporters of the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime. The violence erupted on Thursday (March 6), following attacks by Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the interim government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa (Mohammad al-Julani) against the Alawite minority, long seen as loyalists of the former president.
SOHR Confirms Heavy Civilian Casualties
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) confirmed on Saturday (March 8) that the death toll includes:
•745 civilians, many of whom were shot at close range
•125 government security personnel
148 militants affiliated with Assad’s forces
•The killings are among the worst sectarian bloodshed since the insurgency toppled the Assad regime three months ago.
Eyewitnesses described horrific executions, mass looting, and homes being set ablaze. Reports suggest that Alawite men were dragged into the streets and shot, Women were paraded naked before being executed, a teenage boy was forced to shoot his own family
With their lives at risk, thousands of Alawites have fled to the mountains or crossed into Lebanon. Many have sought shelter at the Russian airbase in Hmeimim.
The coastal towns of Latakia and Tartous, home to large Alawite populations, have reportedly been cut off from electricity and drinking water. The interim government blames “individual actions” for the violence, but insists it is only responding to attacks from Assad loyalists.
The Alawite community, which held key positions under Assad’s rule, is now facing mass targeting, displacement, and job terminations under the new regime.
Global leaders are closely monitoring the situation, with calls for international intervention to prevent further sectarian bloodshed. Many fear that the escalating violence could spiral into a prolonged civil conflict, undoing any progress made since Assad’s fall.
