Alawites Under Fire as HTS Reign Deepens in Syria, Nearly 8,000 Killed
With nearly 8,000 civilians killed under Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham rule, fresh waves of violence raise fears of organized ethnic targeting in war-torn Syria
Syria, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Three Alawite civilians were brutally killed in western Syria, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), amid intensifying violence targeting Syria's Alawite minority.
The incident occurred in the village of Baruha, near the Lebanese border, where local armed groups reportedly stormed the area, killing three civilians and setting fire to shops and vehicles.
Just hours earlier, Syria’s SANA news agency reported the killing of a security officer in Tal Kalakh, further underscoring the deteriorating security situation in western Syria.
Surge in Anti-Alawite Violence
In the last five days alone, at least 18 Alawites have been killed in a new wave of attacks believed to be ethnically and politically motivated.
The Alawite population, a religious minority in Syria, has come under repeated assault since Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — a former al-Qaeda affiliate — seized control of the country in December 2024, following the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
SOHR: 7,670 Killed Under HTS Rule — Mostly Civilians
In a grim update, the SOHR announced on Monday that at least 7,670 people have been killed under HTS rule, 75% of them civilians.
5,784 civilians killed
Among them:
306 children
422 women
The SOHR report attributes the high death toll to “ongoing violence and violations by local and external parties, alongside widespread security chaos,” highlighting “the fragility of the security situation and the increasing danger to the most vulnerable constituents of society.”
It also warned of a “pattern of organized violence” targeting minority groups and civilians across multiple regions.
HTS Takeover and Israeli Bombardments Compound Chaos
On December 8, 2024, HTS, alongside other militant factions, seized control of Damascus, marking the end of Assad’s presidency. Assad, a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, was forced to flee the country.
Since then, the HTS administration has faced widespread accusations of human rights abuses, especially targeting minority communities such as the Alawites.
Compounding the crisis, Israel has escalated its military activity, launching airstrikes on former Syrian military bases and installations, intensifying the devastation across the region.
Growing International Concern
The escalating violence has drawn condemnation from humanitarian groups and international observers, who warn of systematic ethnic targeting, the collapse of state institutions, and the rising threat of foreign military intervention under the cover of counterterrorism.
The fate of Syria’s most vulnerable populations now hangs in the balance — caught between the brutality of armed militias and the silence of a world distracted. (PW)
Source: Press TV