A Reuters investigative report revealed the involvement of Syrian General Security, elite units from former Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, and senior Defense Ministry figures in massacres that took place in Syria’s coastal region last March.
According to the report, around 1,500 members of the Alawite community were killed over two days, with dozens still missing. At least 10 armed groups, including factions now integrated into the new Syrian government, were implicated in the killings—some of which have long been under international sanctions for human rights violations, including killings, kidnappings, and sexual assaults.
Among units named are General Security (HTS’s main enforcement arm), the elite 400th Division, and Osman Brigade. Other militias, such as Sultan Suleiman Shah Division and Hamza Division, which recently joined government ranks, were also linked to the violence.
Reuters also reported a surge in kidnappings of Alawite women since March, with social media flooded by desperate pleas from families seeking information. The investigation found no similar reports involving women from other sects.
The Cradle Media report
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