Reuters: The Syrian government is involved directly in the recent killing events on the Syrian coast

Reuters has revealed in an extensive investigative report the involvement of Syrian government security and military agencies, along with local and foreign-backed armed factions, in committing grave violations against civilians during the so-called “coastal events” last March.

According to the investigation, released on June 30, approximately 12 military groups, some directly linked to the Syrian Ministry of Defense, others only nominally, participated in the killing of civilians in the Latakia and Tartous countryside’s following a sudden rebellion by groups of former Assad regime members.

Those implicated included factions formerly affiliated with Hay’at Tahrir al Sham (HTS), such as the Othman Brigade and Unit 400, as well as Turkish-backed groups such as the Hamzat Division and the Sultan Suleiman Shah Brigade, in addition to the Army of Islam, which was active in the Damascus countryside.

The investigation also pointed to a prominent role for the Syrian General Security Service, which led sectarian-based reprisals targeting civilians, committing massacres against Alawites, resulting in the deaths of hundreds and the disappearance of dozens.

Reuters relied on the testimonies of more than 200 families of massacre victims, interviews with 40 officials and fighters, and an analysis of the content of dozens of messages on Telegram, which was managed by a pseudonymous Defense Ministry spokesman, Colonel Hassan Abdulghani.

According to the report, the massacres occurred after a push by remnants of the former Assad regime’s followers from the former army, who temporarily seized control of areas in Latakia and Tartous, before the government intervened forcefully and regained control, leading to a series of violations and extrajudicial killings.

Estimates of the number of victims in these events varied among human rights sources.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights documented the deaths of 1,334 people, while Reuters estimated the death toll at 1,479, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights indicated 1,557 victims.

The report linked these events to sectarian backgrounds, given that some of the rebel leaders belonged to the Alawite sect.

This led to an escalation of sectarian tensions in the country, prompting the European Union to include several names on its sanctions lists, including Mohammed al Jassim (Abu Amsha) and Saif al Din Bulad (Abu Bakr).

For his part, Tartous Governor Ahmed al Shami told Reuters, “The Alawites aren’t being targeted, but we acknowledge that violations have occurred, and we will strive to ensure the safety of all residents of the province”.

The Transitional President Ahmed al Sharaa also announced the formation of an official fact-finding committee, but the results of the investigation haven’t yet been published, despite the expiry of the initial legal deadline, prompting the presidency to extend the committee’s mandate for an additional three months.