Thu Mar 20 11:57:14 UTC 2025: ## Hundreds Killed in Syria’s Coastal Region as Sectarian Violence Erupts After Assad’s Fall

**BEIRUT** – Sectarian violence in Syria’s coastal region has left hundreds of Alawites dead, raising serious concerns about the safety and future of the religious minority in the aftermath of Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow. The violence, which began in early March, saw armed groups, some nominally aligned with the new Syrian government, targeting Alawites – the religious group to which Assad belonged – in what survivors describe as revenge killings.

Following the toppling of Assad’s regime in December 2024, Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa promised to protect minorities. However, the recent attacks have shattered that promise, leaving Alawites fearing for their lives and questioning the new government’s ability, or willingness, to protect them.

Al Jazeera’s investigation, including the verification of a video showing the body of one victim, Ibrahim, confirms the scale of the killings. Witnesses recounted horrific tales of pregnant women and their children, doctors, and elderly people being murdered. The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented at least 639 extrajudicial killings, potentially amounting to war crimes.

While the affiliation of all perpetrators remains unclear, SNHR points to the Suleiman Shah Brigade and Hamza Division Brigade, both linked to the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), as key players. Although nominally under the new government’s control, these groups maintain a separate command structure, highlighting the new government’s struggle to consolidate power over various armed factions.

The new government claims it is investigating the allegations and has formed a committee to examine the events. However, concerns remain that the government lacks the capacity or will to control these factions due to a combination of internal fragmentation, Western sanctions hindering the government’s ability to pay fighters, and a lack of alternative employment opportunities that might attract these armed groups to join a single, unified command structure.

The crisis has driven thousands of Alawites to seek refuge in nearby Russian bases and Lebanon, with many expressing a complete loss of faith in the new government’s ability, or willingness, to protect them. The situation underscores the complex and fragile security landscape of post-Assad Syria and raises serious questions about the long-term stability and safety of its diverse population. Experts call for international intervention that includes addressing past abuses, holding perpetrators accountable, and investing in Syria’s economy to provide alternative employment that could reduce the lure of military groups. Whether the new government can bridge the deep chasm of distrust with the Alawite community remains to be seen.

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