Syrian Crackdown on Alawite Region Leaves Hundreds Dead
Gunmen and security forces linked to Syria's new Islamist rulers have killed more than 340 people, including women and children from the Alawite minority, in the country's coastal region since Thursday. The violence is seen as an attempt to expel the Alawite population from their homes by the former president Bashar al-Assad's government-backed fighters. This latest crackdown raises concerns about the ability of Syria's new Islamist rulers to govern inclusively.
- The use of sectarian massacres to target minority groups highlights the deep-seated divisions within Syrian society and the ongoing struggle for power among competing factions.
- Will the international community take concrete steps to hold those responsible for these atrocities accountable, or will the perpetrators continue to operate with impunity?