In recent clashes in Syria, over 1,300 people, including 830 civilians, 231 security forces, and 250 Alawian extremists, have been killed amid escalating violence between the new government and supporters of ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad. The UK-based Syrian Human Rights Observatory reported that these events, described as both executions and genocides, follow an ambush where Alawian gunmen killed 16 government troops in Latakia, prompting a government crackdown and curfews in the area. Initially, casualties were mostly combatants, but civilian deaths surged as fighting continued, fueled by retaliatory violence against the Alawite community, historically loyal to Assad.
Human rights groups noted that the violence has worsened due to a lack of international intervention, with forced evacuations and home burnings reported. While some Alawite leaders claim their community does not support the violence, many residents seek peace. The new government, led by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, has promised to protect minority groups but faces significant challenges in delivering on these commitments, particularly regarding the Alawite population.
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