Mass Killings Target Alawite Community Following Assad's Ouster

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A wave of violence has engulfed Syria's Alawite minority, resulting in at least 1,225 civilian deaths, primarily among Alawites, since the ousting of former president Bashar al-Assad in December. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports these casualties, while Human Rights Watch confirms “hundreds” have been killed in recent days due to attacks primarily in coastal areas.

Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, aligned with the Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has promised to investigate the violence and hold accountable those responsible for the "bloodshed of civilians." Eyewitness accounts reveal horrific situations, including families executed in front of each other, with armed groups conducting house raids to determine individuals' sect affiliations.

The violence has intensified amid fears of reprisals against the Alawite community, which, numbering around 1.7 million, has historically been overrepresented in the military and paramilitary forces. Human Rights Watch indicates that unidentified armed factions, following a call for general mobilisation, have launched these attacks, raising concerns about the accountability of all parties involved.

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