Whole Families Wiped Out in Recent Surge of Violence in Syria – One America News Network
OAN Staff Blake Wolf
1:31 PM – Friday, March 14, 2025
The UN has disclosed that multiple families were brutally executed during the recent surge of violence in Syria, likely as acts of revenge following the downfall of the Assad regime.
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The overwhelming majority of the casualties were Alawite minorities situated in Syria’s coastal areas. A UN representative confirmed the verification of 111 civilian deaths since last Thursday, although the actual number is suspected to be much higher.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the civilian death toll may have reached at least 1,200, primarily among Alawites.
The violence is believed to have been perpetrated by backers of Syria’s interim President, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in retaliation for an attack on a security patrol by Assad loyalists.
“In several extremely alarming instances, whole families—including women, children, and individuals not involved in combat—were killed, particularly targeting predominantly Alawite towns and villages,” remarked UN spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan.
“Our office has gathered numerous testimonies indicating that the assailants broke into homes, questioning residents about their Alawite or Sunni affiliations before deciding to kill or spare them. Some survivors recounted how many men were executed in front of their families,” he continued.
“It is imperative that all responsible for these violations are held accountable, irrespective of their affiliations, in accordance with international legal norms. Victims and their families are entitled to truth, justice, and reparations,” Kheetan stated.
Bashar al-Assad, the former president of Syria, was an Alawite, a fact believed to be a motive behind the targeting of the Alawite minority.
A spokesperson for the newly established investigation committee of the government announced that it is actively “collecting and evaluating evidence” to prepare a forthcoming report on the situation.
“No one is above the law. The committee will convey all findings to the originating body, which is the presidency and the judicial system,” the spokesperson remarked.
Meanwhile, a woman communicating with the BBC recounted how armed individuals targeted children in her family two months ago “simply because our president was Alawite.”
“My nephews were just 11 and 12 years old. They rounded them up and lined up all the other young Alawite males,” the woman recounted. “One of them inquired about our religion. When he learned we were Alawites, he drew his weapon and killed all the men in view.”
“They view us as guilty solely because our president is an Alawite. The truth is we are impoverished. Our young men joined the military only to be sent to fight and die,” she expressed.
Before assuming control, al-Sharaa had affiliations with jihadist groups linked to ISIS and Al Qaeda. His faction, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), separated from Al Qaeda in 2017 and seized power due to Assad’s allies, Iran and Russia, being unable to sustain his regime financially.
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