Syria's Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS), Turkish-backed armed groups and paramilitary groups from Idlib countryside entered Latakia and Tartus and massacred civilians. The London-based Syrian Human Rights Monitoring Organization announced that 1,300 people were killed in this process, 800 of whom were civilians. In Latakia and Tartus, the death toll is said to be higher as some of the villages have not yet been reached. In the coastal city of Banyas, the predominantly Alawite neighborhood of al-Qusour and Alawite villages in Hama and Homs have also been attacked, while videos calling for jihad against Alawites and Christians have been shared by the attacking groups on virtual media. 

 

Fleeing the massacres, Alawites took refuge in mountainous and forested areas, while thousands of Alawites took refuge in Russia's Khmeimim Air Base. Some of the perpetrators of the massacres, which have been going on for days, published the images they took on virtual media. As these images and the number of civilians massacred increased, reactions from inside and outside the country against the administration of Ahmed al-Shara, who appointed himself as the head of the interim government in Syria, increased. HTS militants attacked a protest demonstration in Damascus the other day and dispersed the group. 

 

 

Commenting on the massacre of Alawites in Syria, Mustafa Aslan, Chair of the Alevi Bektashi Federation (ABF), said that there has been an increasing massacre in Syria since HTS took control of Damascus on December 8. Stating that this has increased even more in recent daysi Aslan said that according to the information they received from local sources, more thatn a thousand civilian Alawites were massacred and said, "This is worrisome and alarming. The massacre against Alevis is heading towards genocide. After December 8, we expressed our concerns about the process both in Turkey and in many European countries. Knowing the history of the Salafist and jihadist group called HTS, we were concerned about the security of life and property of other beliefs and peoples, especially Alawites, living in Syria. We visited the parliament and met with political parties. We met with the deputy group leader of the ruling party. But unfortunately we were justified in our concerns and worries. International public opinion is needed to stop this massacre of Alevis as soon as possible." 

 

'BAATH REMNANTS' LIE

 

Emphasizing that the Alawite massacre is tried to be covered up with the discourse of “Assad remnants”, Aslan added, "Both the representatives of the ruling party and their pencil pushers have lost their mental balance and are playing their usual role to cover up the facts in Turkey and the world. Everyone knows that there is an Alawite massacre in Syria. They cannot hide this with words like 'the remnants of the Baath regime provoking Syria'. The truth is that the jihadist group called HTS has targeted the Alawites. The reality that everyone should know is that Alawites have never been in power in Syria. Under the Baathist regime, Alawites were not safe, they were poor and unemployed. Assad was never our brother. The President of the Republic of Turkey called Assad his brother. Today, slaughtering a 7-year-old child or an 80-year-old person cannot be explained with 'Baath remnants'. We are concerned about Christians, Druze, Kurds. Because what we are facing is not an ordinary structure. There is a structure with a bloody past. No one can guarantee that what is done to Alevis today will not be done to other faiths tomorrow." 

 

Noting that they are continuing diplomatic initiatives with many countries to stop the massacres of Alawites, Aslan said that they will come together today (13 March) in Hatay Samandağ and on 15 March in Cologne, Germany, with the forces against war in Europe. Stating that it is meaningful for the forces in favour of democracy to raise their voices, Aslan said, "There is a need for an initiative for both the Turkish government, the United Nations (UN) and human rights organizations to put a stop to this massacre. We will continue to raise our voices for this. On 17 March, representatives of the European Union summoned Colani to the Council of Europe. Our organisations in Europe will file a criminal complaint against him. At the same time, we have already applied to the UN. They are being followed up. We need everyone's voice and support."

 

'ALAWITES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN FAVOUR OF PEACE'

 

Stating that the Alawite people have always been in favour of peace, Aslan added: "A murderer, a murderer, a dictator has neither religion nor belief. A murderer is a murderer. We also experienced the fatwas that the murder of Alawites was obligatory in these lands. During the reign of Yavuz Sultan Selim, Alawites were massacred with the fatwas of Abu Suud. That hatred and hatred is centuries-old hatred and hatred. Today they are realising the discourse of hatred. We have never been the ones competing to share Syria's territory. We have always been in favour of Syria's integrity and democratisation. We want a democratic Syria where all colours of Syria - Kurds, Alawites, Christians, Druze, Yazidis, Assyrians, Armenians - can rule together. Syria used to be more secular than other Arab countries, a place where different beliefs and identities existed. This means that in order to rebuild Syria, we need a country that will be governed by all sections together."

 

MA / Tolga Güney