Hundreds of people, including women, children, killed in Syria’s coastal, southern regions

Raids and mass arrests have continued since last Thursday in several areas of Syria’s coastal and southern regions in connection with the clashes between armed groups and Damascus authorities’ forces, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people.

Local sources confirmed that violent battles broke out in the cities and countryside of Latakia, Tartus, Jableh, Homs, Hama, and Daraa, accompanied by the circulation of dozens of videos on social media showing direct killings, the torture of civilians, and the burning of homes.

Despite human rights organizations documenting the number of casualties and massacres over the past 48 hours, the figures remain scarce and lack accuracy, as the death toll has reportedly reached over 1,700 people since yesterday, according to local sources.

The footage shows severe violations, including the execution of groups of handcuffed individuals at close range, along with the abuse of others. The videos also document mass arrests of dozens of people by Damascus authorities’ forces.

Horrific massacres in Syria’s coastal region

In a related context, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented five massacres in cities in Syria’s coastal region, which claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians, including women and children, over the past 24 hours.

The Observatory reported that at least five separate massacres resulted in the deaths of 162 civilians in Syria’s coastal region on Friday. It confirmed that the vast majority of victims were killed in field executions carried out by Damascus authorities’ forces.

In the city of Baniyas in Tartus countryside, 60 people, including 10 women and 5 children, were shot dead in intense attacks. In Dweir Baabda and Beit Aana in the countryside of Jableh, at least seven people were killed by direct gunfire.

In the village of Al-Shir in the Latakia countryside, at least 24 people were killed in a mass execution. In the city of Al-Haffa and its countryside, 45 civilians were shot at close range. In the village of Yahmour in Tartus countryside, two young men were killed while trying to flee the area. Additionally, more than 20 people were killed in the village of Qarfeis in the Latakia countryside in an attack targeting village homes.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights called on the international community to take urgent action and send specialized international investigation teams to document the serious violations committed against civilians.

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ANHA