A Reuters investigation has found evidence that members of Syria’s new government, which includes Sunni fighters aligned with the administration, were involved in mass killings of Alawites along the Mediterranean coast. The attacks, which took place from March 7-9, resulted in nearly 1,500 deaths and dozens of unaccounted-for victims.
The investigation identified at least ten armed factions participating in the offensive, including foreign fighters who now operate under the authority of the new government. Many of these groups have been subject to international sanctions for years due to documented human rights abuses.
The revelations come as the US administration gradually eases sanctions imposed during the al-Assad era, raising concerns in Washington about the new government’s commitment to human rights. The Islamist faction leading the new government, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, has been under UN sanctions since 2014 and is affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
The group’s leader, current transitional Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, is a Sunni Muslim who took office in January after a rapid military campaign that toppled al-Assad.
Source: https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Probe-links-members-of-new-Syrian-government-to-Alawite-massacres