Latest news with #Alawite-majority
Rudaw Net
6 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Explosion kills at least 6 in Syria's Idlib
Also in Syria Syria church denies Christian displacement from Suwayda amid violence UN says 'vital' for Damascus to hold perpetrators of killings accountable Syria committee identifies nearly 300 suspects in Alawite-majority coastal violence Rojava calls for urgent national dialogue as tensions continue in the south A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A massive explosion struck Syria's northwestern province of Idlib on Thursday afternoon, killing at least six people and injuring 140 others, according to the health ministry. The death toll is expected to rise due to the severity of some of the injuries Syrian state media reported that the explosion took place in Ma'arrat Misrin town in Idlib province without mentioning the cause of the blast. It cited the health ministry as saying the explosion killed six and injured 140 others. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the explosion occurred at an ammunition depot and warned that the death toll could rise. The blast's proximity to camps housing internally displaced people has sparked fear and concern among local residents. Idlib was formerly a stronghold of the now-dissolved Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), whose former commanders continue to hold significant influence within the region's current interim government. "The explosion comes amid a surge in sectarian violence across the country, with recent clashes between Druze militants and Sunni tribal fighters leaving at least 1,300 people dead, according to the SOHR. This is a developing story...
Rudaw Net
6 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Syria church denies Christian displacement from Suwayda amid violence
Also in Syria Explosion kills at least 6 in Syria's Idlib UN says 'vital' for Damascus to hold perpetrators of killings accountable Syria committee identifies nearly 300 suspects in Alawite-majority coastal violence Rojava calls for urgent national dialogue as tensions continue in the south A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Greek Orthodox Church in Syria on Wednesday rejected reports that Christians are being forced to flee Suwayda province amid weeks of sectarian violence, insisting that the community remains in the area despite the conflict. 'Today a false news is being spread… that the Christians were forcefully made to leave al-Suwayda,' said Father Nicola Waqas Khoury of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran and Jabal al-Arab, adding that they remain in their lands There have been ongoing reports that Christians in Suwayda province are migrating amid fighting between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes that erupted on July 13, leading to a regional crisis as Israel intervened in support of the Druze, striking several targets, including Syrian state forces and the defense ministry building in Damascus. At least 1,300 people have been killed in the violence in Suwayda, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Observatory also reported on Wednesday that the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran and Jabal al-Arab denied the reports of displacement, affirming that they are staying. "Some people left the province who have humanitarian conditions or who have diseases,' it said, adding that 'this does not mean that the Christians are migrating.' A ceasefire between Israel and Syria - brokered by Washington - was announced Saturday by the US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack and appears to be holding. While Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged to form an 'inclusive transitional government that would reflect Syria's diversity,' he continues to face domestic and international criticism over his perceived marginalization of minority communities.
Rudaw Net
6 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Syria committee identifies nearly 300 suspects in Alawite-majority coastal violence
Also in Syria Explosion kills at least 6 in Syria's Idlib Syria church denies Christian displacement from Suwayda amid violence UN says 'vital' for Damascus to hold perpetrators of killings accountable Rojava calls for urgent national dialogue as tensions continue in the south A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A fact-finding committee probing sectarian violence in Syria's coastal Alawite-majority areas in March said on Tuesday that it identified nearly 300 suspects in connection with the events, which left more than 1,700 people dead, mostly from the Alawite community. Investigations by the committee documented 'serious violations against civilians,' including 'murder, premeditated murder, looting, destruction and burning of homes, torture, and sectarian insults,' committee spokesperson Yasser al-Farhan said during a Damascus presser. It further 'identified 298 individuals by name who were involved,' according to Farhan. In March, violence erupted in Syria's Alawite-majority coastal areas after armed groups, many loyal to ousted president Bashar al-Assad, launched attacks on forces allied with the government, prompting Damascus to respond with force. At least 1,700 people, mainly Alawite civilians, were killed in the waves of violence, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which said that most of the casualties were caused by government or government-affiliated forces. The committee confirmed the deaths of 1,426 people, including 90 women, the majority of them civilians from the Alawite community. It added that 238 army and security personnel were also killed in the March 7-9 violence in Tartus, Latakia, and Hama provinces. In response to the violence, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa established what he called an 'independent national committee' to investigate the events. The seven-member panel includes five judges, a lawyer, and a brigadier general, and was initially tasked with delivering its findings within 30 days. Farhan said two lists of suspects have been submitted to the judiciary. The March bloodshed sparked widespread condemnation, including from the United Nations, the United Kingdom, France, Iraq, and Iran. Saudi Arabia and Turkey expressed support for the new authorities in Damascus. Following a swift offensive in December, a coalition of opposition groups - then headed by the now-dissolved Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under Sharaa - toppled the regime of longtime dictator Assad. Sharaa was appointed interim president in January, vowing to lead an inclusive political transition and repeatedly pledging to respect the rights of all ethnic and religious groups. However, the interim government has faced criticism from minority groups, including the Kurds, who accuse it of exclusionary policies and centralization of power. The committee's findings also come after a fresh wave of violence rocked the southern Druze-majority Suwayda province. The fighting between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes erupted on June 13, leading to a regional crisis as Israel intervened in support of the Druze, striking several targets, including Syrian state forces and an airstrike on the defense ministry building in Damascus. At least 1,265 people have been killed in the violence in Suwayda, according to the Observatory. A Washington-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Syria was announced on Saturday by US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, with the truce seemingly holding. The Druze are in control of the province, while Syrian government forces are guarding the entrance to prevent Sunni fighters' entry in a bid to avoid further tensions. In June, the Observatory reported that 7,670 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the first half of the year due to ongoing violence and widespread 'security chaos.'
Shafaq News
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
7 Alawites missing in Damascus amid rising tensions
Shafaq News/ Seven Syrian citizens from the Alawite community have disappeared in Damascus, stirring concerns over their fate and casting a fresh spotlight on the challenges faced by Syria's Alawite minority since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Sunday that the missing individuals were last seen returning from work at a restaurant in Qasioun Mall, Barzeh district. Activists reported losing contact with them around 3 a.m. when their daily transport vehicle entered Ash al-Warwar neighborhood, an Alawite stronghold in the capital. Later that morning, the vehicle was found abandoned near the Police Hospital along the international highway, with no trace of them. Since al-Assad's ouster, Syria's Alawite community has faced intensified violence, political marginalization, and economic decline. The Alawites, once a pillar of al-Assad's security apparatus, have found themselves vulnerable to retribution and systemic challenges. Reports indicate that more than 1,383 Alawite civilians have been killed in retaliatory attacks since the regime's collapse. Thousands more have fled traditional strongholds in Latakia and Tartus, fearing reprisals from armed opposition groups. Alawite religious sites have also been targeted, including the torching of the revered shrine of al-Khasibi in Aleppo, sparking protests in Alawite-majority areas.
Rudaw Net
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
UN says Syria's interim government responsible for safety of minorities
Also in Syria Israel strikes near Syrian presidential palace Sweden says ready to help Syria if Damascus upholds inclusivity France, Germany concerned about Syria sectarian violence Death toll in Syria's sectarian clashes rises to 56: War monitor A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The spokesperson for the secretary-general of the United Nations on Thursday said Syria's interim authorities must ensure the safety of minorities and protect civilians as Damascus is again facing international criticism for sectarian violence. 'As we've said here many times, it is important that every one of the nationalities, the minorities, religious minorities, ethnic minorities in Syria feel safe in their country. And it is the responsibility of the interim authorities to ensure that that is the case,' Stephane Dujarric told Rudaw during his weekly press conference. Dozens of people have been killed in days of clashes between armed groups affiliated with Damascus and members of the Druze community in southern Syria. Dujarric described the clashes as 'very concerning.' 'There are interim authorities in Damascus that ended the rule of President Assad and his family. They are now in charge on an interim basis and they have to hold up internationally recognized standards, notably on the protection of civilians,' he said. The violence was reportedly triggered by an audio clip of a man insulting Prophet Mohammed. The recording was falsely attributed to a Druze leader. France, Germany, and the United States have condemned the violence. Damascus received similar criticism in March after hundreds of people were killed in violence in Alawite-majority areas on the coast. Israel has carried out several airstrikes in southern Syria in recent days in support of the Druze community. On Friday morning, Israeli warplanes struck in the vicinity of the presidential palace in Damascus after warning the Syrian government not to deploy forces to Druze-majority areas in the south. Syria condemned the strike and called on the international community to 'stand by Syria in confronting these hostile acts.'
