The violence began on Thursday, after the attempted arrest of a wanted suspect, with an attack by Assad loyalists on security forces spiralling into clashes [Getty]
A fact-finding committee formed by Syria’s new authorities to investigate a wave of deadly violence said on Tuesday the country was determined to “prevent unlawful revenge”.
A wave of violence broke out last Thursday, mainly in the Mediterranean heartland of the Alawite minority, the deadliest since longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December.
At least 803 civilians have been killed since Thursday, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR).
The UN Human Rights Office said it had documented “summary executions” that appeared “to have been carried out on a sectarian basis”.
“In a number of extremely disturbing instances, entire families — including women, children and individuals hors de combat — were killed, with predominantly Alawite cities and villages targeted in particular,” it said.
At a press conference in Damascus, fact-finding committee spokesman Yasser al-Farhan said: “The new Syria is determined to enshrine justice and the rule of law, protect the rights and freedoms of its citizens, prevent unlawful revenge and guarantee that there is no impunity.”
Farhan said the committee was working on “gathering and reviewing evidence” related to the wave of violence.
He added the committee would “listen to the eyewitnesses” and establish mechanisms for people to contact the investigators, as well as gather and verify video evidence.
The findings will be submitted to the presidency and the judiciary, Farhan said.
The presidency announced on Sunday that it was forming a committee to “investigate the violations against civilians and identify those responsible”.
It said it would present its findings within 30 days and that those found responsible would be referred to the courts.
The violence began on Thursday, after the attempted arrest of a wanted suspect, with an attack by Assad loyalists on security forces spiralling into clashes.
The authorities have announced the arrest of at least seven individuals since Monday accused of having committed violations against civilians, according to SANA.
“There are a huge number of people who have been suffering in Syria, in the coastal areas, for five days – and this needs to stop,” UN human rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters.
“According to many testimonies collected by our office, perpetrators raided houses, asking residents whether they were Alawite or Sunni before proceeding to either kill or spare them accordingly. Some survivors told us that many men were shot dead in front of their families.”
Human Rights Watch called on Syria’s new authorities to ensure accountability for the mass killings.
“Syria’s new leaders promised to break with the horrors of the past, but grave abuses on a staggering scale are being reported against predominantly Alawite Syrians in the coastal region and elsewhere in Syria,” its deputy regional director Adam Coogle said.
“Government action to protect civilians and prosecute perpetrators of indiscriminate shootings, summary executions, and other grave crimes must be swift and unequivocal.”
