Observatory: Widespread Field Executions of al-Assad Regime Members

28th January 2025

3 minutes read

Observatory: Widespread Field Executions of al-Assad Regime Members

The new Syrian authorities confirm the arrest of dozens of faction members involved in security operations in rural Homs, accused of committing violations in recent days.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Sunday that gunmen affiliated with Syria’s new Islamic leadership carried out 35 summary executions over the past 72 hours, most of them targeting members of former President Bashar al-Assad‘s regime, amid rising concerns over abuses against minorities accused of supporting the previous regime.

The authorities, emerging from opposition factions that ousted al-Assad last month, announced the arrest of “dozens of members from factions involved in security operations in the northern and western countryside of Homs, accused of committing violations in several villages in the region in recent days.”

According to the official Syrian news agency SANA, the authorities stated that a “criminal group exploited the situation to commit abuses against residents, posing as security forces.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that “these arrests followed severe violations, including summary executions that resulted in the deaths of 35 people over the past 72 hours, as well as the humiliation of dozens belonging to religious minorities.” Most of those executed were reportedly former members of al-Assad‘s government.

The Observatory added that “dozens of members of local armed groups under the control of the ruling Sunni Islamic alliance were arrested after participating in security operations in the Homs region.”

It also emphasized that “local fighters from Syria’s majority religious group are conducting retaliatory actions and settling old scores against religious minorities, bypassing the law by exploiting the chaotic situation, the proliferation of weapons, and their proximity to military operations management.”

The documented violations include “random arrest campaigns targeting dozens of individuals, accompanied by severe mistreatment and humiliations, attacks on religious symbols, mutilation of corpses, summary executions, and brutal killings of civilians – scenes reflecting an unprecedented level of cruelty and violence.”

Reports state that “local gunmen posing as military operations leaders killed 193 people in less than a month.”

The Civil Peace Group in Syria, a civil society organization, stated in a statement that civilian casualties were recorded in multiple villages in the Homs region during the transitional period of power. The group particularly condemned the killing of unarmed men.

Since taking power, the new Syrian administration has attempted to reassure the public of its commitment to respecting the rights of religious and ethnic minorities in the country.

However, members of the Alawite community expressed fears of retaliatory actions for crimes committed under the former regime. The leader of the new Syrian administration assured there would be no acts of vengeance, while emphasizing that those involved in crimes against al-Assad regime opponents would be held accountable.

In recent days, the joint operations administration launched a wide-scale cleansing campaign in several predominantly Alawite areas following attacks on patrols by fighters loyal to the former Syrian regime.

Numerous Western governments have demanded respect for minority rights as a prerequisite for engaging with Syria’s new leaders and lifting sanctions on Damascus.