“My only son, just 25 years old,” says Dalaal Mahna, her voice trembling with grief. “They took him right from my side and told me, ‘We’re going to kill him and break your heart with it.’”
That was the last time Dalaal saw her son. She believes he was shot dead by the gunmen who abducted him. Dalaal, who hails from Syria’s Alawite minority sect, has witnessed firsthand the surge in sectarian violence that has plagued the region in recent days.
"Everyone knew he had diabetes and anaemia," she says. "He was just trying to survive."
The BBC team discovered Dalaal seeking refuge with thousands of other displaced individuals at a remote Russian airbase in Syria's western coastal region. A war monitoring group reports that over 1,400 civilians—mostly Alawites—have been killed since March 6 in Latakia and surrounding provinces, including Tartous, Hama, and Homs. Dalaal is one of the few willing to share her painful story.
She holds a small photo of her son, Amjad Qatrawi, a memento she says was taken from him just before his death.
Summary Executions and Escalating Violence
Security forces launched an operation last week to counter an insurgency by fighters loyal to the deposed president, Bashar al-Assad, who was an Alawite leader. Violence escalated when 13 security personnel were killed in an ambush by gunmen in the coastal town of Jableh.
In retaliation, gunmen loyal to the Sunni Islamist-led government that replaced Assad have been accused of carrying out revenge killings in predominantly Alawite communities. Over the following days, entire families—including women and children—were slaughtered. The United Nations human rights office verified at least 111 civilian deaths, though the actual number is believed to be much higher. Many of these killings have been classified as summary executions.
Amidst the chaos, our team found a car riddled with bullet holes on the highway. The identities of the people inside remain unknown, but it is doubtful that anyone survived.
In the wake of the attack by remnants of Assad's regime, the coastal highway was cleared, but dozens of bodies were still found in the area. During a tour with Syrian Ministry of Defence fighters, our team observed numerous bodies scattered in the bushes and mass graves.
Security sources told the BBC that the loyalists behind the attack in Jableh were not all killed. Some managed to retreat into nearby mountains as reinforcements arrived. “They are all from these villages,” said Mahmoud al-Haik, a soldier with the new government’s Ministry of Defence, stationed in the Latakia countryside. “The area was in chaos, but we regained control. People have started returning to their homes, though many villages remain abandoned.”
Residents, fearing more sectarian violence, fled into the mountains where they have been living outdoors for over a week. In a village near Baniyas, our team encountered a small group of men who had cautiously returned to check on their homes and shops. One man, Wafiq Ismail, said he was present when the attack occurred but refused to provide further details. “I really can’t say anything about it,” he stated. “May God keep us safe.”
Seeking Shelter and Protection
In the Latakia countryside, Syrian security forces' control ends at the boundary of the Russian Hmeimim airbase. Thousands of Alawite families have taken refuge here, fleeing attacks by various factions. These families are living under harsh conditions, but they have no other choice. Dalaal says this is where her son was killed, and many others at the airbase share similar tragedies.
The situation for these displaced families is dire. “Most of us have lost someone,” one woman said. “We need international protection. We left our homes, our livelihoods, and came here for safety.”
Very few details have emerged about last Thursday’s attacks and the sectarian violence that followed. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who led the rebel forces that overthrew Assad, has promised to hold those responsible accountable, even if they are among his allies. “We won’t accept that any blood be shed unjustly,” he stated.
However, many remain skeptical that the deep wounds caused by these events will ever heal in a Syria already ravaged by years of conflict. The suffering, particularly for families like Dalaal Mahna’s, may never be fully understood or acknowledged.
Source; theghanareport
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