The number of victims of clashes between Syrian security forces and supporters of the ousted regime of President Bashar Assad, as well as revenge killings, has exceeded 600 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported today, quoted by the Associated Press and BTA.
According to the UK-based organization, 428 Alawites were killed in revenge killings, and up to 120 supporters of the ousted regime and 89 members of the security forces died in fighting between government forces and Assad supporters.
These are some of the deadliest acts of violence since the start of the conflict in Syria 14 years ago.
The clashes that began on Thursday mark a serious escalation in the challenges facing the new government in Damascus, three months after Assad was ousted.
The government said it had responded to attacks by supporters of Assad's forces and said "individual acts" were behind the violence.
The revenge killings that began yesterday by Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the government against members of the Alawite community, from which Assad also comes, are a serious blow to the ruling Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, the faction that led the overthrow of the previous government. Alawites have been a major supporter of Assad for decades.
Residents of the Alawite community told the AP of the killings of members of the religious community, most of them men, in the streets or in front of their homes. Many Alawite homes were smashed and set on fire, the AP added.
According to the UNHRC, the revenge killings were stopped early this morning.
Meanwhile, today the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called for “safe“ access for medical personnel and rescue workers to western Syria, where fighting between government forces and Assad forces continues.
In a message on the social network “Ex“, the ICRC called on all parties to the conflict to “guarantee unhindered access to healthcare and protect medical facilities“. Rescue and humanitarian workers “must have safe access to provide medical care and transport the wounded and dead”, the statement added.