More than 1,000 people, including 745 mostly Alawite civilians, were killed in clashes between Syrian security forces and remnants linked to ousted President Bashar al-Assad, and a wave of sectarian-fuelled revenge killings across the coastal area, a war monitor said on Saturday.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that in addition to civilian casualties, 125 members of the government’s security forces and 148 pro Assad fighters have been killed since Thursday, when Assad loyalists launched an unprecedented attack on security points in Latakia province, the heartland of the Alawite minority to which Mr al Assad belongs.
It added that electricity and drinking water have been cut off in large parts of rural Latakia for the second day in a row, disrupting communications in some areas.
This marks the deadliest violence since Islamist-led rebels toppled the Assad regime in a lightning offensive in December, and one of the most serious challenges yet to Syria’s new administration which promised stability after 14 years of civil war. Official figures have yet to be released.
Syria's state news agency, citing a Defense Ministry official, said Syrian government forces have reclaimed most of the area from Assad loyalists. It said authorities have closed all roads leading to the coastal region “to prevent violations and gradually restore stability.”
An emergency committee has been formed to “monitor violations” of the command's instructions and refer perpetrators to the military court, it added.
On Saturday, Syria's President Ahmad al Shara called for militias linked to the ousted Assad regime to surrender immediately. “You attacked all Syrians and made an unforgivable mistake. The riposte has come, and you have not been able to withstand it,” he said.
The violence sparked international condemnation. In a statement, the EU said it “strongly condemns the recent attacks, reportedly by pro-Assad elements, on interim government forces in the coastal areas of Syria and all violence against civilians,” while also calling on “all external actors to fully respect the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria.”
France’s foreign ministry on Saturday urged Syria's new authorities “to ensure that independent investigations can shed light on these crimes and that the perpetrators are held accountable,” while condemning the targeting of “civilians because of their faith.”
Revenge killings
The attack launched by pro-Assad fighters on Thursday in the Latakia province, which appeared to be the most co-ordinated assault on the new security forces yet, killed dozens and triggered a wave of revenge killings on the Alawite coast.
Such retaliation has been feared by the Alawite community since the regime's fall. “They're going after us just because we're Alawite. Most of us weren’t even supporters of the regime – we don’t even know who or what the authorities are looking for,” an Alawite in Damascus with family on the coast told The National. "Nowhere is safe for Alawites now," they added.
On Saturday, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), another war monitor, said it had documented several operations by Syrian security forces in rural areas of Latakia, Tartous and Hama, including “house raids, direct targeting of civilians, and large-scale field executions of men and young adults over the age of 18, without any clear distinction between civilians and combatants.”
Graphic videos have emerged showing the mass killing of men of all ages in civilian clothes, as well as scenes of humiliation, which The National could not independently verify.
“I don't even know if my friends' family in Baniyas and Jableh are still alive,” a second Alawite resident in Damascus told The National, referring to two towns on the coast where violence has erupted. “I can't even reach out to them because all communication networks are down – maybe they're alive, maybe they're not,” they added.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, second leg
Liverpool (0) v Atletico Madrid (1)
Venue: Anfield
Kick-off: Thursday, March 12, midnight
Live: On beIN Sports HD
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Key facilities
Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
Know before you go
Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
CHELSEA SQUAD
Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku.
While you're here
Europe’s rearming plan
Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
1971: The Year The Music Changed Everything
Director: Asif Kapadia
4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
Draw for Europa League last-16
Istanbul Basaksehir v Copenhagen; Olympiakos Piraeus v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Rangers v Bayer Leverkusen; VfL Wolfsburg v Shakhtar Donetsk; Inter Milan v Getafe
Sevilla v AS Roma; Eintracht Frankfurt or Salzburg v Basel; LASK v Manchester United
While you're here
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
Fireworks/ flares
Radios or power banks
Laser pointers
Selfie sticks/ umbrellas
Sharp objects
Political flags or banners
Bikes, skateboards or scooters
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed