Investigative reports bring Syrian coastal massacres back to light 

An in-depth investigation conducted by Reuters uncovered bloody massacres carried out against civilians from the Alawite sect in Syria’s coastal region during the period of March 7 to 9. The attacks left at least 1,479 people dead and dozens missing across 40 different locations, amid security chaos, retaliatory killings, and looting.

The investigation, based on interviews with more than 200 victims' families, along with 40 security officials, fighters, investigators, and government intermediaries, traced the chain of command from direct perpetrators to figures close to Syria’s new leadership. Journalists also gathered handwritten lists of victims’ names, reviewed surveillance footage, and examined Telegram messages created by a Defense Ministry official to coordinate the government’s response.

Although the United Nations announced on March 11 that it had documented 111 deaths, it acknowledged that the actual toll was likely higher. Since then, the UN has not updated its figures.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Network for Human Rights estimated the death toll at 1,662 people, including 1,217 killed by government forces and armed groups, and 445 killed by pro-Assad loyalists, among them civilians and government personnel. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the deaths of 1,557 civilians, 273 regime troops, and 259 Alawite militiamen.

In the first official response, Syria's transitional government head Ahmad Al-Sharaa stated that around 200 of his government’s forces were killed in the events, though the government has not released any civilian casualty figures.

These massacres are considered among the deadliest violations since the fall of the previous regime and highlight the extent of violent divisions in the post-Assad era, according to the investigation's findings.

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