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Death toll of civilians in Syria exceeds 1,000: The balance sheet is worsening

It is claimed that more than 1,000 people have died due to clashes and 'revenge killings' between forces opposing the new regime in Syria and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants who have seized power. It is alleged that the majority of the victims, who were mostly civilians, lost their lives after being 'shot at close range.' Due to attacks on civilians and looting incidents, the local population has fled to the mountains.

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Following the clashes that began on March 7 in Latakia and Tartus in western Syria, the Syrian Transitional Government sent more than 55,000 of its militants to the region. It was reported that the events broke out after HTS wanted to detain a 19-year-old youth living in the region. The local people refused to hand the individual over to HTS and set an ambush for the teams sent for the detention. Forces affiliated with HTS bombed the region with helicopters after the clashes began. As a result of the attacks targeting civilians, it was noted that the death toll, which was initially announced as 300 on the first day, has risen above 1,000 following assessments made today.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) announced that hundreds of civilians were killed in the clashes, while reporting that 125 militants affiliated with HTS and 150 people belonging to opposition armed groups lost their lives. While there are power and drinking water outages in large areas around the western coastal city of Latakia, it was stated that the situation in the region is deteriorating. SOHR reported that confirmed civilian casualties have exceeded 1,000.

The SOHR report included the detail that most of the civilians lost their lives after being 'shot at close range.' According to the report, most of the unarmed civilians were massacred after being detained by militants. The Syrian Transitional Government has not made a statement regarding the massacre allegations.

VIOLENCE IS INCREASING

The clashes that began on Thursday have been recorded as one of the deadliest incidents of violence in the country since Assad lost power. In a joint statement, the Syrian Christian Patriarchs stated, ''Violence, brutality, and murders are escalating dangerously in Syria. Attacks on innocent civilians, including women and children, are increasing.''

Ahmed al-Shara, whom the Syrian Transitional Government declared President, claimed that the events began due to 'remnants of the Assad regime.' While Shara argued that they have brought the situation under control, HTS militants' operations in the region have been paused.

ATTACKS AGAINST ALAWITES

According to allegations, on Friday, armed groups affiliated with the new regime began revenge killings against the minority Nusayris. Residents reported that armed individuals opened fire on Nusayris in the streets or at the doors of their homes, and that many Nusayri homes were looted and burned. SOHR claimed that HTS militants were attacking civilians 'indiscriminately.'

According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), the town of Baniyas became one of the areas most affected by the violence. Residents reported that bodies were scattered in the streets and that no one could collect them. One resident said that armed individuals prevented locals from removing the bodies of five neighbors who had been killed for hours.

It was learned that those living in Alawite villages in the region fled to the mountains to escape the massacre. The AP stated that dozens of villages have been emptied and that residents are hiding from HTS militants in mountainous areas.

REACTIONS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

The violence has drawn reactions from Western officials. France called on Syrian transitional authorities to ensure that independent investigations shed light on these crimes.

Germany's Special Envoy for Syria Stefan Schneck, in a statement on X, stated that the targeting of civilians was 'horrific' and said the following:

''I am deeply shaken by the many victims in Western Syria. I call on everyone to pursue peaceful solutions, national unity, and inclusive political dialogue.''

The European Union's Chargé d'Affaires for Syria Michael Ohnmacht also called for an end to the violence and for all parties to respect the Syrian people's right to live in safety and peace. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in its statement, underscored that they 'condemn in the strongest possible terms the atrocities committed against civilians and detainees on religious grounds.'