Responding to reports of hundreds of civilians, mostly from the Alawite minority, being killed in Syria’s coastal areas, Amnesty International Regional Director Heba Morayef said:
“The authorities must act swiftly to ensure that civilians are protected in any ongoing or future fighting and to prevent further unlawful killings and other violations. The failure to act decisively and conduct independent, impartial and effective investigations and ensure perpetrators of crimes are brought to justice will only embolden those who believe they can kill with impunity.
“In addition to its obligations under international humanitarian law, the government of Syria has an obligation to uphold the human rights of all those living in Syria. The authorities must take clear action to strictly uphold the equal rights of all Syrians, including by ensuring that no person or group is targeted on the basis of perceived political affiliation.
The horrific images emerging from Syria’s coast, with bodies lying in the streets and grieving families mourning their loved ones, are a grim reminder of the past cycles of atrocities Syrians have endured and risk inflaming sectarian tensions and fuelling further deadly violence.
Heba Morayef, Amnesty International Regional Director
“The horrific images emerging from Syria’s coast, with bodies lying in the streets and grieving families mourning their loved ones, are a grim reminder of the past cycles of atrocities Syrians have endured and risk inflaming sectarian tensions and fuelling further deadly violence. Syrians deserve a future rooted in justice and dignity, yet communities once again are being forced to endure unimaginable loss.
Fully transparent investigation urgently needed
“While the government has announced an independent fact-finding and investigation committee and pledged to refer those responsible for crimes to the judiciary, it is crucial that this process is fully transparent and conducted in line with international standards. The committee has been tasked with submitting a report to the Presidency within 30 days, but these findings must also be made public. Without openness, victims and the wider public will have no reason to trust investigations were conducted credibly and carefully.
President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s pledge to hold perpetrators of crimes accountable ‘with all firmness and without leniency’ will mean little if justice is not delivered in a manner that prioritizes victims’ participation, upholds people’s rights, and is delivered impartially, regardless of who is responsible.
Heba Morayef, Amnesty International Regional Director
“President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s pledge to hold perpetrators of crimes accountable ‘with all firmness and without leniency’ will mean little if justice is not delivered in a manner that prioritizes victims’ participation, upholds people’s rights, and is delivered impartially, regardless of who is responsible.
“In addition to the government-led investigation, the authorities should grant independent national and international investigators access to Syria, including to Syria’s coastal areas, so that they can conduct their own fact-finding work.
“These horrific events once again underscore the urgent need for comprehensive steps by Syrian authorities to ensure truth, justice and reparation for all victims of grave violations in Syria. Ultimately, the delivery of truth, justice and reparation is meant to both remedy harms caused to victims and to ensure that never again really means never again.”
Background
The Assad family, which ruled Syria for decades, is from the Alawite minority. In November 2024, Hay’at Tahrir al- Sham (HTS) and allied armed opposition groups launched a military offensive which led to the capture of Aleppo governorate. By 8 December, the armed opposition groups captured Damascus and President Bashar al Assad fled the country.
On 29 January 2025, the Syria Military Operation Command appointed former head of HTS, Ahmad al-Sharaa, to serve as head of state during the transitional period. That same day, transitional authorities announced that all military factions would be dissolved and integrated into state institutions.
On 6 March 2025, armed men loyal to the former Assad government launched an attack on Syrian state security forces in Latakia. In response, Syrian authorities, supported by pro-government militias, counterattacked.
This then escalated into a series of attacks across multiple governorates, according to local sources. By 10 March, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that more than 973 civilians, most of whom were Alawites, had been killed.
International humanitarian law applies to all warring parties engaged in the conflict in Syria. The government of Syria, now headed by Ahmad al-Sharaa, also has international human rights law obligations to all people living in Syria.
Header image: Black smoke rises as authorities extended the curfew in the cities of Latakia and Tartus in northwest Syria on Friday and launched large-scale security sweeps in urban centers, villages, and surrounding mountains to track down remnants of the deposed Bashar al-Assad regime on March 07, 2025 in Latakia, Syria. Photo by Abdulvacit Haci Isteyfi/Anadolu via Getty Images.
