A bombshell investigation reveals that nearly 1,500 Alawite civilians were executed in a coordinated massacre by Syrian forces and aligned militias—under a chain of command traced directly to Damascus.
At a Glance
- Nearly 1,500 Alawite civilians were killed in coastal Syria between March 7–9, 2025.
- Killings were carried out by state-aligned militias including HTS, Turkish-backed fighters, and foreign jihadists.
- Reuters traced command responsibility to senior officials in Syria’s new government in Damascus.
- The attacks followed an anti-Assad loyalist uprising that killed 200 regime personnel.
- No formal charges or prosecutions have been initiated despite pledges of accountability.
Sectarian Slaughter Follows Loyalist Revolt
In early March 2025, a wave of coordinated massacres swept through Syria’s coastal Alawite heartland after a pro-Assad revolt left 200 regime personnel dead. In response, regime-aligned militias—some made up of former al-Qaeda fighters—descended on 40 villages, executing civilians, mutilating bodies, and daubing homes with slurs like “slaughter the Alawites,” according to survivors and field reports.
Reuters verified at least 1,482 civilian deaths across those days. Bodies were dumped in mass graves. Homes and religious sites were torched. Victims were paraded through streets before execution.
Watch a report: How Syrian Militias Carried Out Sectarian Massacres
Damascus Knew—And Promoted Killers
Reuters investigators traced the chain of command back to Damascus, showing that members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s “Unit 400,” Turkish-backed militias like the Hamza Division and Sultan Suleiman Shah Brigade, and foreign Sunni jihadists carried out the killings under orders. Many perpetrators were later promoted within Syria’s newly formed national army, with official titles and expanded regional authority.
President Ahmed al‑Sharaa promised investigations in the wake of the massacre, forming a nominal oversight committee. But as of June 30, no charges have been filed. Victims’ families report continued harassment, threats, and state-backed disinformation campaigns targeting Alawite communities.
No Justice, More Blood
The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria has condemned the attacks as systematic and likely constituting crimes against humanity. Yet Damascus has refused to allow international monitors or forensic teams access to mass grave sites.
Meanwhile, Alawite religious sites remain under threat, property seizures continue, and survivors live in fear. Analysts warn that without international accountability, Syria’s fractured political landscape may foster further atrocities—with impunity now institutionalized.
As the death toll mounts and the international community hesitates, one truth stands: justice is being buried alongside the victims.
