He had sent a message to stop attacks on Alawites in Syria: Yeni Şafak columnist targets Özgür Özel

The clashes in Syria in recent days have led to heavy civilian casualties, particularly in areas where Alawites live in large numbers. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the death toll in clashes in Latakia and its surroundings has exceeded 250, with 162 of them identified as civilians. The SOHR announced that the 162 civilians were killed in "five separate massacres" and that the vast majority of the executions were carried out by elements linked to Syrian security forces.

While images of torture and executions coming from the region have drawn significant reaction from the international community, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel also issued a call for the attacks to be stopped. However, Özel's statements were met with harsh criticism in pro-government media outlets.

Yeni Şafak columnist İsmail Kılıçarslan, in his column targeting Özel's call, used striking language regarding the clashes between jihadist groups and the Syrian army in Syria. In response to Özel's statements, Kılıçarslan wrote the following:

"The Syrian state wiped out nearly 100 Nusayri terrorists who were terrorizing, killing, and bombing civilians in the places they occupied, despite all the state's warnings; he must be resentful of that."

Arguing that the attacks by jihadist groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria were a form of retaliation, Kılıçarslan used the following expressions:

"Nusayris are being killed off not because of their religious beliefs, but because they are still low enough to kill civilians in Syria as a result of their subservience to imperialism. Nothing else."

"THEY ALWAYS FIND A PACK OF DOGS TO DEFEND"

Continuing to target Özel with harsh words in his column, Kılıçarslan claimed that the CHP leader "does not stand with the honorable people of Syria" and accused Özel with the following words:

"But Özgür Özel doesn't even deign to stand by the honorable people of Syria for once. It's always the same 'attack on Alawites' rhetoric."

Kılıçarslan targeted the Alawites who support forces loyal to the Assad regime, accusing them of trying to create space for Israel, and added the following:

"However, what the Nusayri terrorists and shabiha dogs are trying to do in Syria at this moment is to try to create space for Israel. They receive both money and weapons from Iran and are doing everything in their power to ensure that Syria does not find order, stability, or peace."

Accusing the CHP and the opposition as well, Kılıçarslan used the following expressions:

"The imperialist lovers here, in our country, are backing the dogs of imperialism while seeing and knowing all of this. Although, one shouldn't be too surprised. In the matter of the four-legged stray dogs that kill our children, these people defend the dogs, not our children. It seems their nature doesn't change. Every time, they find a pack of dogs to defend."

CRISIS GROWS IN SYRIA 

While the latest clashes in Syria show that the ongoing war in the country has evolved into a new dimension, the increase in civilian casualties is causing concern in the international community. The United Nations and human rights organizations are calling for an end to attacks on civilians.

WHAT DID ÖZGÜR ÖZEL SAY?

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel had expressed his concerns regarding the recent increase in reports of attacks and massacres against the civilian population in Syria, particularly in the Latakia and Tartus regions, through a call on his social media account.

Stating that "the increase in civilian casualties as a result of the violence directed at Alawites in and around Latakia and the fear of massacres against minorities are creating great anxiety among all our citizens," Özel had called out, "We share the concerns felt by our Alawite citizens in the geography close to Syria regarding the situation of their relatives, and we are continuing our contacts with the authorities on this matter. We invite the Government of the Republic of Turkey to act more effectively on this issue and to make productive initiatives before the Damascus administration to prevent civilian casualties."

News Source: 12punto