Amnesty International Calls on Syrian Government to Hold Those Responsible for Mass Killings in the Coast Accountable
April 3, 2025, 2:41 pm

Amnesty International Calls on Syrian Government to Hold Those Responsible for Mass Killings in the Coast Accountable

منظمة العفو الدولية تدعو الحكومة السورية لمحاسبة المسؤولين عن القتل الجماعي في الساحل

Amnesty International has urged the Syrian government to ensure accountability for those responsible for a wave of mass killings targeting Alawite civilians in coastal regions and to take immediate steps to protect individuals and groups from sectarian discrimination. The organization stated in a statement set to be published tomorrow, Thursday, that the recent events in the coast amount to "war crimes," holding the government responsible for the ensuing bloodshed.

The organization reported that it investigated the killings of over one hundred civilians in the city of Baniyas, where estimates from human rights organizations indicate that the total number of victims exceeds this figure and includes multiple areas in the Syrian coast. According to information received by Amnesty International, government-aligned militias carried out killings of more than 100 individuals in Baniyas on March 8 and 9, 2025. The organization was able to verify 32 cases of killings and concluded that they were intentional and illegally targeted the Alawite minority.

Witnesses told Amnesty International that armed men were asking victims about their sect before threatening or killing them, sometimes blaming them for violations committed by the previous regime. Authorities also forced the families of the victims to bury them in mass graves, without holding religious ceremonies or public funerals.

Amnesty International's Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, called for accountability for those responsible for this wave of brutal mass killings. In her statement, she noted that there is evidence indicating that government-aligned militias deliberately targeted Alawite civilians in retaliatory attacks, shooting them in cold blood. She added that the authorities did not intervene to stop the massacres for two days.

Callamard confirmed that this type of killing is considered a "war crime," stressing the need for states to conduct prompt, independent, and impartial investigations into allegations of unlawful killings and hold the perpetrators accountable.

The statement provided background on the events, mentioning that on March 6, 2025, armed groups loyal to the previous regime led by Bashar al-Assad launched coordinated attacks on security and military sites in the Latakia and Tartus provinces. In response, the Ministries of Defense and Interior, supported by militias, launched a counterattack that led to a significant escalation in violence. By March 8, authorities had regained control of all affected areas. The statement confirmed that in the following days, militias loyal to the current government deliberately targeted Alawite civilians in coastal towns and villages.

While Amnesty International welcomed the establishment of a commission of inquiry by the government and a committee for civil peace, the organization emphasized the need for the authorities to ensure that the committee has the jurisdiction, authority, and adequate resources to effectively investigate, including protecting witnesses and victims' families, accessing mass graves, and having the necessary forensic expertise to achieve justice.

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