Alawites denounce fact-finding committee into Syrian coastal atrocities
A member of the Alawite community described the fact-finding committee as being one-sided and useless, stating that it was just an attempt to negate the issue and hinder justice. She clarified that the perpetrators of the massacres could be recognized, as could the victims. She laments that international powers and organizations were exploiting the issue as a political tool rather than a human rights issue.
A surge of violent bloodshed in March 2025 struck the Syrian coast, namely in Latakia, Tartous, and Homs, as civilians were attacked by armed groups. Hundreds of women and children civilians were killed in these attacks, with also reported summary executions and sectarian-inspired mass killings, enforced disappearances, looting, and destruction of property.
As one step that was described as "formal," and further to prevent international pressure, Damascus authorities announced on March 9, 2025, the formation of a fact-finding committee. Despite the committee's promise to be cooperative and protect witnesses, several human rights organizations have questioned its purpose, pointing to its inability to reach most of the victims' families and the lack of tangible findings over two months since its formation.
So far, the committee has not issued an official report, continuing to feed speculations about cover-ups and evasions on behalf of accountability from the hands of the people behind the atrocities.
With this, Mona Ghanem, a representative of the Office of Coordination and Public Relations for Local and International Affairs of the Supreme Alawite Council in Syria and the Diaspora, said of the committee, "This committee is questionable because it is not neutral, not transparent, and not credible. To date, it has not issued any statement or provided any indications about who committed the crimes."
Mona Ghanem also said that the aim of this committee is "nothing but an attempt to dilute the issue of killings and massacres and to play for time by the current authorities. The killer and the victim are known, and no one requires all these questions."
Mona Ghanem also called on the Damascus regime leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to "issue a decision to withdraw the uncontrolled factions operating on the Syrian coast." "To be replaced with a civil police force or joint self-defense forces. which could be acted upon by people in the area, and by the General Security, who will be entirely responsible for the security of the people."
As a reaction to her perspective of the international position about the massacres along the coastal area, she mentioned that she did not want to say, "The crimes such as massacres committed by the majority of Syrians are being made into a political pressure card and not an objective legal case seeking justice. The massacres will be used as a pressure card on the current government to embrace international interests which are more than the massacres, the Alawites, or any fraction in Syria."
T/S
ANHA
Alawites denounce fact-finding committee into Syrian coastal atrocities
A surge of violent bloodshed in March 2025 struck the Syrian coast, namely in Latakia, Tartous, and Homs, as civilians were attacked by armed groups. Hundreds of women and children civilians were killed in these attacks, with also reported summary executions and sectarian-inspired mass killings, enforced disappearances, looting, and destruction of property.
As one step that was described as "formal," and further to prevent international pressure, Damascus authorities announced on March 9, 2025, the formation of a fact-finding committee. Despite the committee's promise to be cooperative and protect witnesses, several human rights organizations have questioned its purpose, pointing to its inability to reach most of the victims' families and the lack of tangible findings over two months since its formation.
So far, the committee has not issued an official report, continuing to feed speculations about cover-ups and evasions on behalf of accountability from the hands of the people behind the atrocities.
With this, Mona Ghanem, a representative of the Office of Coordination and Public Relations for Local and International Affairs of the Supreme Alawite Council in Syria and the Diaspora, said of the committee, "This committee is questionable because it is not neutral, not transparent, and not credible. To date, it has not issued any statement or provided any indications about who committed the crimes."
Mona Ghanem also said that the aim of this committee is "nothing but an attempt to dilute the issue of killings and massacres and to play for time by the current authorities. The killer and the victim are known, and no one requires all these questions."
Mona Ghanem also called on the Damascus regime leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to "issue a decision to withdraw the uncontrolled factions operating on the Syrian coast." "To be replaced with a civil police force or joint self-defense forces. which could be acted upon by people in the area, and by the General Security, who will be entirely responsible for the security of the people."
As a reaction to her perspective of the international position about the massacres along the coastal area, she mentioned that she did not want to say, "The crimes such as massacres committed by the majority of Syrians are being made into a political pressure card and not an objective legal case seeking justice. The massacres will be used as a pressure card on the current government to embrace international interests which are more than the massacres, the Alawites, or any fraction in Syria."
T/S
ANHA
