UN Report: Violations in the Syrian Coast May Amount to War Crimes

SadaNews - The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria concluded in a report published today, Thursday, that the violence that occurred in the coastal area during March was "systematic and widespread," involving violations that "may amount to war crimes."

The three days of violence resulted in the deaths of more than 1,700 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A national investigation committee assigned by the authorities was able to document the deaths of 1,426 Alawites, including ninety women.

The national investigation committee into the events in the Syrian coast previously announced that it had identified 298 individuals involved in the acts of violence against the Alawite minority, pointing out that it had verified "serious violations."

The coastal region, which has a majority of Alawites, witnessed violence starting from March 6 for three days, which authorities accused pro-regime militants loyal to the ousted President Bashar al-Assad of igniting through bloody attacks that led to the deaths of dozens of their elements.

According to the committee, 238 members of public security and the army were killed in those attacks.

In response, the authorities sent military reinforcements to the area, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that they, along with allied groups, committed massacres and "field executions," resulting in the deaths of about 1,700 civilians, the vast majority of whom were Alawites.

The committee added that "200,000 armed individuals headed to the coast at the time, aiming to reclaim it from the remnants of the fallen regime (Baath), which led to violations."

It stated that "some of the armed individuals were not affiliated with the government, hence killings and looting occurred" in addition to the use of "sectarian slurs."

According to human rights and international organizations, entire families perished in the violence, including women, children, and the elderly.

The militants documented themselves through videos of them killing individuals dressed in civilian clothes by shooting at close range.