Syria: Over 1,000 Killed in Clashes

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

• Over 1,000 killed in Syria clashes.
• Dead include civilians, security forces, and rebels.
• Electricity and water cut off around Latakia.
• Clashes between Assad loyalists and government.
• Retribution killings between Sunnis and Alawites.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

The death toll from two days of clashes between Syrian security forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad and revenge killings that followed has risen to more than 1,000, a war-monitoring group said Saturday, making it one of the deadliest acts of violence since Syria’s conflict began 14 years ago. The conflict in Syria continues to escalate.

Syrian Observatory Claim

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in addition to 745 civilians killed, mostly in shootings from close distance, 125 government security force members and 148 militants with armed groups affiliated with Assad were killed. It added that electricity and drinking water were cut off in large areas around the city of Latakia.

Deadly Attacks Along Syria’s Coast

The clashes, which erupted Thursday, marked a major escalation in the challenge to the new government in Damascus, three months after insurgents took authority after removing Assad from power. The government has said that they were responding to attacks from remnants of Assad’s forces and blamed “individual actions” for the rampant violence.

Retribution Killings

The revenge killings that started Friday by Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the government against members of Assad’s minority Alawite sect are a major blow to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the faction that led the overthrow of the former government. Alawites made up a large part of Assad’s support base for decades.

Atrocities Against Alawites

Residents of Alawite villages and towns spoke to The Associated Press about killings during which gunmen shot Alawites, the majority of them men, in the streets or at the gates of their homes. Many homes of Alawites were looted and then set on fire in different areas, two residents of Syria’s coastal region told the AP from their hideouts.

Dire Situation in Baniyas

Residents of Baniyas, one of the towns worst hit by the violence, said bodies were strewn on the streets or left unburied in homes and on the roofs of buildings, and nobody was able to collect them. One resident said that the gunmen prevented residents for hours from removing the bodies of five of their neighbors killed Friday at close range.

Death Toll Mounts

The Observatory’s chief Rami Abdurrahman said that revenge killings stopped early Saturday. “This was one of the biggest massacres during the Syrian conflict,” Abdurrahman said about the killings of Alawite civilians. The previous figure given by the group was more than 600 dead. No official figures have been released.

Government Forces Regain Control

Syria’s state news agency quoted an unnamed Defense Ministry official as saying that government forces have regained control of much of the areas from Assad loyalists. It added that authorities have closed all roads leading to the coastal region “to prevent violations and gradually restore stability.”

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

• The ongoing conflict in Syria has resulted in over 1,000 fatalities.
• The deceased include civilians, members of security forces, and supporters of Assad.
• Retaliatory killings have occurred between Sunni and Alawite factions.
• The violence has led to widespread looting and arson in affected areas.
• The international community has expressed strong condemnation of the reported atrocities.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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