Security Council Agrees to Condemn Massacre of Alawites in Syria

By Staff, Agencies

The United Nations Security Council has agreed to a statement condemning widespread violence in Syria and urging the country’s new administration to protect all ethnic and religious minorities, diplomats say.

The presidential statement, drafted by Russia and the US is due to be formally adopted on Friday, the diplomats said Thursday.

"The Security Council calls on the interim authorities to protect all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religion," reads the statement, seen by Reuters.

"Syria's interim authorities must hold the perpetrators of these mass killings accountable," it adds.

The UNSC met privately on Syria, amid reports of over 1,300 deaths in the coastal region, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

According to the UN, families in Tartus and Latakia, where Assad's Alawite sect resided, were killed, including women and children.

Fighting between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants and loyalists of the former government erupted on March 6, after earlier tensions escalated into reported mass killings.

Bloodshed erupted as militants tried to detain someone in Beit Ana village but were ambushed by Assad supporters.

In response, the HTS administration launched violent crackdowns in Alawite strongholds in the western coastal region.

The council reiterated its commitment to Syria's sovereignty, unity, and integrity, urging states to respect and avoid actions destabilizing Syria.