Utopia Talk / Politics / Syrians seek to crush Alawite insurgency

murder Member	Fri Mar 07 19:36:00 Scores killed as Syrian forces seek to crush Alawite insurgency DAMASCUS, March 7 (Reuters) - Syrian security forces battled for a second day on Friday to crush a nascent insurgency by fighters from Bashar al-Assad's Alawite sect, with scores reported killed as the Islamist-led government faced the biggest challenge yet to its authority. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that more than 180 people had been killed in two days of violence in the coastal region of western Syria, which is heavily populated by members of the Alawite minority. They included at least two dozen male residents of the Alawite town of Al Mukhtareyah killed by gunmen on Friday, the Observatory and two Alawite activists said, citing contacts in the region and video footage from the scene. In his first comments on the violence, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said government forces would pursue "remnants" of the ousted Bashar al Assad government and bring them to trial. He also said those who assault civilians would be held accountable. "We will continue to pursue the remnants of the fallen regime .. . We will bring them to a fair court, and we will continue to restrict weapons to the state, and no loose weapons will remain in Syria," Sharaa added in a pre-recorded speech. Syrian authorities said the violence began when remnants loyal to Assad launched a deadly and well-planned attack on their forces on Thursday. The violence has shaken Sharaa's efforts to consolidate control as his administration struggles to get U.S. sanctions lifted and grapples with wider security challenges, notably in the southwest, where Israel has said it will prevent Damascus from deploying forces. The oil-rich northeast of the country also remains outside state control, held by a U.S.-backed Kurdish-led group. Syrians took to the streets on Friday to rally in support of the government in Damascus and other cities. Saudi Arabia and Turkey, both allies of the government, also signalled their backing, while the U.N. envoy to Syria said he was alarmed by the clashes and killings, including of civilians. Russia, which was a major backer of Assad but has sought to build ties with the new government, called on all leaders of the country to stop the bloodshed. Iran, formerly Assad's closest ally, said it "strongly opposes insecurity, violence, killing and harming innocent Syrians from every group and tribe." Images from Al Mukhtareyah showed at least 20 men lying in close proximity - some bloodied - by the side of a road in the town centre. Reuters was able to verify the location in the video, but not when it was filmed or by whom. Alawite activists, speaking on condition of anonymity, blamed the killings on gunmen affiliated with the Islamist ruling authorities. Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a security source, said "individual violations" had been perpetrated after unorganized crowds had headed to the coastal region following the attacks on government security personnel. "We are working to stop these violations," the source said. A prominent Alawite cleric, Sheikh Shabaan Mansour, 86, was killed on Friday with his son in the village of Sahlab in western Syria, according to two Alawite sources. Residents there accused fighters aligned with Damascus of killing them. CURFEWS The violence spiralled on Thursday when the authorities said groups of Assad-aligned militias targeted security patrols and checkpoints in the Jableh area and surrounding countryside, before spreading. Moussa al-Omar, a Syrian media figure close to the country's new leadership, told Reuters that tens of thousands of fighters in Syria's newly constituted security forces had been deployed to the coast in the operation and order had been largely restored as of Friday night. He said the crackdown was "a message to anyone in the south or east of Syria that the state ... is capable of a military resolution at any time even as it seeks peaceful solutions." Curfews were declared on Friday in the coastal cities of Tartous and Latakia, SANA said. Security forces mounted combing operations in both cities and nearby mountains. Alawite activists say their community has been subjected to violence and attacks, particularly in rural Homs and Latakia, since Assad was overthrown in December after decades of repressive family rule and civil war. While Sharaa has pledged to run Syria in an inclusive way, no meetings have been declared between him and senior Alawite figures, in contrast to members of other minority groups. ESCALATION RISK "The chaos and paroxysm of killings will undermine the confidence of both foreign states and Syrians in his government and its ability to steer Syria out of this difficult phase," said Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. A group of Alawite clerics, the Alawite Islamic Council, blamed the violence on the government, saying fighters had been sent to the coast "with the pretext of (combating) 'regime remnants,' to terrorise and kill Syrians." It called for the region to be put under U.N. protection. Saudi Arabia condemned "crimes being undertaken by outlaw groups" in Syria and their targeting of security forces. Turkey, a close ally of Syria's new government, also stated its support for Damascus, saying, "The tension in and around Latakia, as well as the targeting of security forces, could undermine the efforts to lead Syria into the future in unity and solidarity." http://www...tous-after-clashes-2025-03-07/
Allahuakbar Member	Sat Mar 08 02:50:43 It is not politically correct to say so, but the truth is that Alawite are fake Muslims.
Sam Adams Member	Sat Mar 08 10:42:03 Now would be a good time to not be an alawite.
murder Member	Sat Mar 08 15:21:28 Shouldn't have been allied with Iran I guess.
Paramount Member	Sun Mar 09 03:17:05 Should they have allied themselves with the moderate rebels, al-qaida and ISIS, that the USA, Israel and EU supports? ” In Syria, Western-backed "moderate" rebels force Alawite men to crawl and bark like dogs, humiliating them before mercilessly executing them. This is the barbaric reality of the so-called new moderate government, fully supported and funded by the West.....” http://x.com/ricwe123/status/1898067296897139165
Paramount Member	Sun Mar 09 03:25:56 In response to the mass killings and executions of civilians by the new authorities in Syria, the EU condemns the "pro-Assad elements" instead of its jihadist partners http://x.com/glenn_diesen/status/1898597043360133407
Daemon Member	Sun Mar 09 03:34:22 "and ISIS, that the USA, Israel and EU supports? " When has the EU supported ISIS?
murder Member	Sun Mar 09 04:33:53 "Should they have allied themselves with the moderate rebels, al-qaida and ISIS, that the USA, Israel and EU supports?" They should have not have attacked Israel. They should not have allowed their territory to be used to arm militants in Lebanon. They should have focused on maintaining good relations with their neighbors and the West instead of inviting the Iranians and Russians into Syria. They should have allied themselves to stability and prosperity. -
Paramount Member	Sun Mar 09 04:53:20 "They should have allied themselves to stability and prosperity. " Like Ukraine should have? The past 1-2 years, if reports are to be believed, Assad was actually trying approach the West and be their friends instead of being close to Iran. Look at what happened to Assad and Syria for approaching the West. Assad was forced to flee his country, Syria is bombed and invaded (again) by Israel, and Syrian civilians are being massacred. Iranian officials are said to have been complaining and critizing Assad for that reason (for not working with Iran). How did Israel get the intel on the whereabouts of that guy that they murdered on the Iranian embassy in Damascus? It is possible that Assad provided them with the intel. Also, when was the last time Syria attacked Israel? Israel has been bombing Syria regularly for years. No response by Assad/Syria.
Paramount Member	Sun Mar 09 05:07:57 "When has the EU supported ISIS?" Likely when Israel told them about their "sunni coalition against Iran" that they have assembled, and that Europe would best to support it. The West supports them against Iran, but are then horrified when radical propagandized muslims carries out attacks in Europe.
Daemon Member	Sun Mar 09 05:47:04 So you're just speculating about alleged support for ISIS by the EU, but you can't provide any concrete evidence.
Paramount Member	Sun Mar 09 06:27:39 EU supports the Islamists who just massacred civilans in Syria. Why do you think they do not support ISIS against Iran also?
Daemon Member	Sun Mar 09 06:47:53 "So you're just speculating"
murder Member	Sun Mar 09 07:31:05 "Like Ukraine should have?" Yes. Unfortunately the Ukrainians fell for the non-guaranteed security guarantees we gave them. They were too trusting. They should have driven a much tougher bargain before agreeing to give up their nukes.
Paramount Member	Sun Mar 09 11:54:24 The nuke were never theirs. It was Soviet nukes under control by Russia. Just as the nukes in Belarus are not Belarus nukes, it is Russia’s nukes.
murder Member	Sun Mar 09 12:38:35 Then there was nothing to negotiate then, huh?
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