The bereaved tell RT of how the atrocities unfolded and their distrust in the system that investigates them

In the early days of March 2025, Syria’s coastal regions were engulfed in a wave of sectarian violence that have left an indelible mark on the nation’s collective conscience. Predominantly targeting the Alawite minority, the atrocities have reignited fears of deepening sectarian divides and underscored the challenges facing Syria’s path to stability.

It all began on March 6, when armed men loyal to ousted President Bashar Al Assad launched an attack on Syrian state security forces in Latakia. The current President – Ahmed Al Sharaa – responded with force. Thousands of armed men engulfed the region and retaliatory attacks began. Their target was the Alawite community – a minority sect within Shiite Islam to which the Assads belong. Comprising some ten to thirteen percent of the entire Syrian population, the Alawites have traditionally lived in the coastal region: Tartus, Latakia and other cities and towns – and this is exactly where the gangs of Al Sharaa arrived on that fateful Friday.

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Reports indicate that over a span of 72 hours, more than 1,300 individuals were killed, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 830 civilians were among the dead, alongside 231 Syrian security force members and 250 Alawite militants. But the actual numbers could be much higher.

Horrors of war

RT has spoken to two people whose families are stranded in the area, and they paint a harrowing picture of the brutality inflicted upon the Alawite community. Marwa, whose name has been changed for security reasons, recounts what happened to her brothers:

“It all started on March 6, when we heard shooting and the authorities imposed a curfew. In the morning of March 7, we got in touch with all our family members on our WhatsApp family chat. My brother living in Latakia warned everyone not to leave their houses. And that was the last time we have heard from him”.

Marwa says that after he stopped answering messages, they sent another brother – who lived nearby – to check on him. But when he reached his place, he discovered a dead body, with multiple bullets scattered on the ground. Out of grief and frustration, the brother went out to the street and started shouting at armed men he found in the neighborhood, accusing them of his sibling’s death, a mistake that cost him his life.

Marwa and her family didn’t have a possibility to bury their dead. She said people were terrified to be associated with the Alawite sect, fearing for their lives.

“I have heard it from at least fifty people. Those gangs would knock on the door and ask residents whether they were Sunni or Alawite. The latter had no chance to survive”.

But murder was not the only sin committed by “Al Sharaa’s gangs”, Marwa claims. Apart from slaughtering entire families, they have also engaged in robbery; set cars, houses and businesses on fire, and left total destruction behind them.

“Hundreds of people from my surroundings were so terrified to stay at home that they opted to seek refuge in the forest or the mountains. Many of them spent their nights there, without food and water, with their only hope being to survive the ethnic cleansing,” she argues.

Isabella, also not her real name, says that it was a “safari hunting Alawites”.

“Some villages near Hmaymeim airport have lost all their men – young and old – who have been assassinated in cold blood. They killed children and women – no distinction – inside their homes, markets, fields and streets. Bodies have been seen everywhere – on the streets and the valleys”.

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International pressure?

Once the videos of the atrocities started surfacing, the international community responded with alarm.

Multiple leaders issued a condemnation. Amnesty International called for swift action to protect civilians and prevent further unlawful killings. The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, urged prompt, thorough, independent, and impartial investigations to address those grave violations. 

Al Sharaa needed to act, in order to preserve his legitimacy in the eyes of the international community which has just removed some sanctions on Syria.

Shortly after the massacre erupted, the Al Sharaa administration announced the formation of an independent fact-finding committee to investigate the killings. Yasser Farhan, the committee’s spokesperson, emphasized that “no one is above the law” and pledged to arrest and prosecute those responsible. 

However, Marwa says she doesn’t trust the committee that was formed by the government “that was originally the sponsor of those factions and their atrocities”. And Isabella tends to agree.

“The gangs of Al Sharaa changed the clothes on some of those victims, dressing them up in uniforms to show the UN delegations and the Al Jazeera crews that they were fighting armed rebels. The bodies of others were buried to conceal evidence”. 

“UN employees, who visited some of the villages were accompanied by Al Sharaa militants who chose where to take them, and who they could speak to. Before the arrival of the UN staff, villagers were offered packs of bread. Some were given money to change testimony, others threatened with torture and death if they dared to speak the truth”.

The international community, says Isabella, is not interested in miring itself in the Syrian mud anymore – they have bigger fish to fry at the moment: the economic situation is becoming dire, the war with Russia is weakening them, and confrontation with the US doesn’t help either. Syria and its people are not top of their priority list. And that means that the future of Syria is now in the hands of the Syrian people, and they will be the ones who will need to shape it.

Future is bleak?

Steven Sahiounie, a Syrian-American journalist from Latakia, expressed deep concerns about the nation’s future: “I’m afraid of the future because these massacres made created a deep divide between the Syrian people and the 18 Syrian sects. Syrians went through this in the 80s and it took them about 20 years to heal. Then came the Arab Spring in 2011, and the gap has become much bigger, and now this massacre has happened – it is going to take decades until these wounds vanish, if at all”.

Isabella echoed the sentiments, warning of long-term consequences: “The scariest thing is that violence will continue for the next generations. Do you think those who lost their families will forget? They won’t, these recent massacres will leave an indelible scar on the nation’s psyche and that means that violence will not go away,” she summed up.

Sahiounie says the situation in Latakia and the surrounding areas is calmer. Security forces have arrested several of the culprits featured in the massacre videos, shooting is not heard anymore, water and electricity supply has been resumed, food has become available. Authorities – pressured by the West, Turkey and Qatar – are taking measures to bring those responsible to justice. But many people, who have fled the area, fearing death, refuse to go back; and Isabella and Marwa doubt that trust will ever be restored. 

Which twenty-six Reds will we see?

A good bit has changed about the nature of the Cincinnati Reds roster mix since last we gave our best guess at who might be included on it come Opening Day.

Spencer Steer’s shoulder maintained its issues, and he received a cortisone shot back on March 1st. Andrew Abbott, though, has seen his shoulder progress well enough that he threw a pair of IP in a AAA game just yesterday. Rhett Lowder is still behind schedule, unfortunately, but at least it looks like he’s moving forward and not backwards. Speaking of ‘back,’ Tyler Stephenson headed for an MRI after lingering back pain.

Rule 5 draftee Cooper Bowman was sent back to the Oaksacvegas Athletics, while former top prospect Noelvi Marte was officially sent down to AAA.

That’s a lot to process, as are the risks of losing players in camp as non-roster invitees if they aren’t selected to start the season. Same goes for players with no options remaining, as they very well could be scooped up on waivers if not placed on the roster from day one.

With Opening Day now less that two weeks away (!!), here’s our latest, greatest estimate of which Reds will make up the Opening Day roster.

Catcher

I’ve got Tyler Stephenson (1) still on here alongside Jose Trevino (2), as all initial reports on Ty Steve’s back are that his issue is minor. It may mean we see more of Jose in the lineup early on, so far there’s nothing to suggest these aren’t the two backstops they’ll carry from day one.

Infielders (5)

Elly De La Cruz (3) and Matt McLain (4) are the cornerstones of this team, and they’ll form the middle infield. Christian Encarnacion-Strand (5) and Jeimer Candelario (6) seem to be locks in the corner rotation, while Santiago Espinal (7) has solidified his spot as the do-it-all infielder in reserve.

Gavin Lux

Gavin Lux (8)! He’ll see time at 3B, 2B, LF, and even at DH when the time is right. Since I’ve got Spencer Steer beginning the year on the IL, Lux’s versatility will help offset that usually created by having Steer on the roster for the time being.

Outfielders (5)

TJ Friedl (9) is back and healthy and poised to be the everyday CF and leadoff man all 4-WAR style once again. He’ll be flanked by Jake Fraley (10) and Austin Hays (11) most days, with Stuart Fairchild (12) a RHH option on days when Terry Francona wants to stack those up against southpaws. That brings us to Blake Dunn (13), whose RHH ability wins out in this mix over Will Benson since Lux, a LHH, is filling the ‘move anywhere when it’s time to switch’ role previously occupied by Steer, a RHH. In other words, I think Francona will choose to have one more righty bat around than another lefty.

Starting Rotation

Hunter Greene (14) will start on Opening Day, as well he should. He’ll be flanked in some order by each of Nick Martinez (15), Brady Singer (16), and Nick Lodolo (17) for sure at this point. Since the season is long as all heck, I just don’t think the Reds will rush back Andrew Abbott at anything less than ‘full stretched out,’ so I expect him to begin on the IL and miss a turn or two through the rotation - if anything, that may make him even more valuable down the stretch in August/September. I think the Reds carry Carson Spiers (18) as something of ‘starter on an expected bullpen day’ for the time being.

Bullpen

I don’t believe Graham Ashcraft (19) starts the year in the minors - rather, I think he’s carried as the piggyback guy for Spiers’ turn through the rotation with the expecation that he can fill-in for multiple IP when needed in a role akin to how Martinez began last year. Brent Suter (20), Sam Moll (21), and Taylor Rogers (22) form the LHP corps in the ‘pen, while Alexis Díaz (23) will resume his role as the closer. RHP options Emilio Pagán (24) and Scott Barlow (25) have guaranteed money on their deals, so they’ll be down there until they prove ten times they shouldn’t be, leaving one final spot that I’m expected to be filled by Tony Santillan (26) - he pitched well enough last year to deserve it and he’s out of options, so that’s a no-brainer.

Notes

Steer and Abbott are the two notable omissions here. Despite how dismal the Reds have begun seasons in recent memory (and how much that has folded any and all optimism entering those years immediately), I just think they’ll play it safe with them (and Lowder). Abbott getting ~27-28 starts is still very much viable, as is Steer surpassing 550 PA.

Ian Gibaut being back in camp is cool, and he’s fanned 8 against a lone walk in 7.0 IP so far this spring. He’s not on the roster, however, as a NRI on a minor league deal, so I don’t expect him to beat out the rest of the options above. That said, I do think he’s showing enough right now to firmly be in the mix as the first bullpen arm promoted when the inevitable dings happen to the rostered names ahead of him.

Chase Petty has looked really, really solid so far in camp, and at this rate he’ll make his debut (and more) as a Red at some point this year...just not on Opening Day or in the first few turns of the rotation, assuming all goes well elsewhere.