UN: Likely war crimes committed during Syria coastal clashes
A UN inquiry finds probable war crimes by interim government forces and former regime fighters in March sectarian violence that killed around 1,400 people, mostly civilians.
Members of Syria's interim government forces and fighters linked to the former regime likely committed war crimes during March sectarian clashes along the Alawite-majority coast, killing around 1,400 people, mostly civilians, a United Nations report says.
The UN Syria Commission of Inquiry found no evidence that Damascus authorities ordered the attacks.
Background of the clashes
Violence began when security forces were ambushed by pro-regime groups, leading to battles between largely Sunni interim forces and Alawite loyalists.
- White Helmets respond to deadly attacks
- Deep divisions emerge in Syria's power vacuum
- Civilian toll in complex conflict
The commission documented acts likely amounting to war crimes—including murder, torture, abductions and inhumane treatment of the dead—by both interim government forces and fighters linked to the Assad regime.
"The scale and brutality of the violence is deeply disturbing," said Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, chair of the inquiry.
"We call on the interim authorities to pursue accountability for all perpetrators, regardless of affiliation or rank."
At least 16 coastal locations in Latakia, Tartus, Homs and Hama governorates saw door-to-door raids, with men and boys taken away for execution. Videos show beatings and killings, and families were forced to store bodies at home until mass graves were dug.
Thousands fled to neighbouring Lebanon or a Russian airbase for safety, and many Alawites have since relocated within Syria or abroad.
Accountability and ongoing risks
A government inquiry published in July named hundreds of alleged perpetrators, and officials say 42 arrests have been made. The UN commission urged further court reforms, stronger reparations for survivors and trust-building measures with communities.
Sectarian violence has also flared in Suweida in the south, where Bedouin, Druze fighters and the army face allegations of extra-judicial killings.
Targeted and systematic violence against Alawite civilians during the coastal clashes indicates a pattern of atrocities rather than isolated incidents.
This topic was reported by BBC News.
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