Syria’s Sharaa receives report on sectarian violence against Alawites, doesn’t publish findings

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has received a report on sectarian violence that took place in Syria’s Alawite heartland earlier this year and pledged measures to prevent its recurrence, the presidency says, without disclosing the findings.

Sharaa received the full report on the bloodshed from the fact-finding committee on July 13, the statement from the presidency says — the same day sectarian violence erupted in the heavily Druze province of Sweida.

In early March, Syria’s Mediterranean coast, home to the Alawite religious minority to which ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad belongs, saw several days of intercommunal violence.

The new Islamist authorities accused Assad loyalists of sparking the violence by launching attacks on security forces, and sent military reinforcements to the area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor reported at the time that the government forces and allied groups committed massacres, killing more than 1,700 civilians, mostly Alawites.

Sharaa will “carefully examine the findings… to ensure steps are taken to advance the principles of truth, justice and accountability, and prevent the recurrence of violations” as part of building a new Syria, the statement says.

He asked the committee to hold a press conference to present its findings as soon as possible “if it seems appropriate,” the presidency adds, without releasing any details of the report.

The presidency’s announcement comes after Sharaa renewed his pledge yesterday to protect minorities amid violence in Sweida, which has killed over 1,000 people since last Sunday, according to the Observatory.

In March, on Syria’s Alawite coast, gunmen stormed homes and asked residents whether they were Alawite or Sunni before killing or sparing them, according to testimonies documented by survivors, rights groups and international organizations.

Entire families — including women, children and the elderly — were killed, with some of the violence recorded on video as victims in civilian clothing were executed.

On March 9, Sharaa announced the formation of an independent fact-finding committee to investigate the violence, initially pledging to release the findings within a month, but later pushed it off until mid-July.

It is unclear when, or if, the findings will be released.

Amnesty International has urged Syria to publish the full results of the investigation and ensure those responsible are held accountable.