Massacre in Latakia: Alawite Civilians Slaughtered by HTS Militants
By Staff, CNN
In a horrifying display of brutality, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham [HTS] militants launched a deadly assault on the Syrian coastal town of al-Sanobar on March 7, targeting innocent civilians in an apparent act of sectarian violence. Survivors recount how armed fighters stormed homes, executed unarmed men, looted properties and set fires, leaving behind a trail of death and devastation. The attack, described as an act of ethnic cleansing, highlights the worsening plight of Syria’s Alawite community, which has long been persecuted by extremist factions.
A Town Under Siege
One chilling video recorded from an attic shows a mother and daughter trembling in silence as militants gather outside their home. Their panicked breathing is audible as they try to remain unnoticed. Earlier that day, the patriarch of the Khalil family had reassured his relatives that they were not in danger. Hours later, he and his son were executed on their patio.
HTS militants filmed themselves inside the ransacked home, with one fighter chanting about “ethnic cleansing, ethnic cleansing” before posting the footage online. Additional videos surfaced in the days that followed, showing militants parading through the village, with bodies scattered around them. “We’ve come to you with the taste of death,” one fighter sang, as verified footage placed him at the entrance of the town.
Systematic Executions and Mass Graves
CNN’s investigation, based on survivor testimonies, satellite imagery and video evidence, confirmed that the massacre in al-Sanobar, or the “Pine Village” in English, was part of a broader wave of attacks in Syria’s Latakia and Tartus provinces. Locals reported over 200 dead, with mass graves dug to dispose of the bodies. Human rights organizations estimate that more than 800 people were killed across the region.
Survivors described how HTS militants first entered homes under the pretext of searching for armed men, then returned to loot properties and finally rounded up male residents for execution. One woman recounted the horrific moment when her father and two brothers were dragged outside and shot. “My father was a 75-year-old retired teacher… they shot him in the head,” she said. Another man, who pleaded for his brother’s life, recalled how the militants fired at the ground to intimidate him before carrying out the execution.
For nearly three days, bodies lay in the streets as militants prevented villagers from retrieving their dead. On March 10, under armed supervision, the remains were finally collected and buried in mass graves near a local shrine. Satellite imagery confirmed the location of the graves and the disturbed earth from the hasty burials.
The Ongoing Persecution of Syria’s Alawites
The massacre in al-Sanobar is not an isolated incident but part of a long-standing campaign of sectarian violence against Syria’s Alawites, who have been systematically targeted by extremist groups. For years, Alawite communities have faced displacement, mass killings and collective punishment due to their perceived sectarian identity.
Survivors of the attack fear further reprisals and remain too terrified to return home. “Without a doubt, we will give our dead a proper religious burial,” said one woman whose family members were killed. “But for that, we will need to return to the village, and we are too afraid to return.”
The massacre raises urgent questions about the security of Syrian civilians under the control of armed factions. While HTS leaders claim to be investigating the atrocities, residents fear further violence. The attack on al-Sanobar is yet another grim chapter in Syria’s ongoing crisis, as innocent civilians—especially Alawites—continue to bear the brunt of extremist violence, with little to no international intervention.
