Syria Extends Deadline for Probe into Alawite Killings

Syria’s presidency announced on Friday an extension of the investigation into the killings of Alawite civilians in coastal areas, granting the fact-finding committee three additional months to identify perpetrators, Arab News reported.

The violence, which erupted on March 6, followed clashes between government forces and armed groups loyal to former President Bashar Assad, leading to sectarian revenge attacks that resulted in over 1,400 civilian deaths, predominantly among the Alawite community. This period of violence is considered one of the bloodiest in Syria’s modern history and has raised fears of a renewed civil war.

The fact-finding committee, established by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa on March 9, initially had 30 days to report findings. The extension allows for further investigation into 41 recorded killing sites, although some areas remain inaccessible. Amnesty International reported that at least 32 of more than 100 victims in Baniyas were targeted on sectarian grounds, potentially constituting war crimes.

The rights organization emphasized the need for the committee to operate independently and have full access to evidence and witnesses. Witnesses identified the attackers as hard-line Sunni Islamists and local Sunnis seeking revenge for past atrocities. The ongoing violence has displaced thousands of Alawites, with around 30,000 fleeing to northern Lebanon.