UN Probe Accuses Syrian Government Forces of Possible War Crimes in Alawite Heartland
The commission said it had recorded cases of “murder, torture and inhumane acts related to the treatment of the dead, widespread looting and burning of homes,” which forced the mass displacement of civilians from the area.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — A United Nations commission investigating sectarian bloodshed in Syria’s Alawite heartland has documented systematic violence by government forces and allied militias, warning that some of the acts may amount to war crimes, according to AFP.
In a report released Thursday, the commission said it had recorded cases of “murder, torture and inhumane acts related to the treatment of the dead, widespread looting and burning of homes,” which forced the mass displacement of civilians from the area.
“The violations included acts that likely amount to war crimes,” the report stated, underscoring the gravity of the abuses and their potential prosecution under international law.
The Alawite community, a minority sect to which former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad belongs, had long been a stronghold of government support until Assad’s ouster in December 2024 by Ahmed Al-Shara, who now serves as Syria’s interim president while Assad lives in exile in Russia.
Following Assad’s fall, the Alawite community — once shielded by its association with the ruling elite — has faced a profound shift in its political and security standing. Many Alawites have reported feelings of vulnerability and fear of reprisals, as rival factions and opposition groups gained influence in territories previously under their control.
While some have sought to distance themselves from the Assad legacy, others remain staunchly loyal, creating internal divisions within the community.
The transition of power has also triggered waves of displacement, with thousands fleeing coastal strongholds to escape renewed clashes, sectarian tensions, and the uncertainty of Syria’s volatile post-Assad landscape.
