Latakia (TDI): The interim president of Syria on Sunday vowed accountability and a probe after the killing of Alawite civilians triggered an international backlash against the worst violence since Bashar Assad’s overthrow.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said that 973 Alawite civilians were killed in “executions” carried out by security personnel or pro-government fighters in provinces of Tartus and Latakia since March 6.
“The total number of civilians who were killed amounted to 973, including women and children,” said the London-based war monitor, adding the “killings, field executions and ethnic cleansing operations” were ongoing after deadly clashes between security forces and Alawite gunmen loyal to Assad.
The Mediterranean area is the heartland of the Alawite community to which toppled President Assad belongs.
United Nations (UN) rights chief Volker Turk stated that the executions “must stop immediately,” while the Arab League, the UN, the US, UK and other countries have condemned the violence.
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Syria’s interim president Ahmed Al-Sharaa said, “We will hold accountable anyone who was involved in the killing of civilians or who overstepped the powers of the state.
Earlier Sunday, the presidency said in a statement that an “independent committee” had been formed to probe the killings and identify those responsible who would face the courts.
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Fighting between the new security forces and loyalists of the former government started on Thursday, after earlier tensions, and escalated into reported mass killings.
The fighting has killed 231 members of the security forces and 250 pro-Assad fighters, according to the Observatory, taking the overall death tally to 1,311.
