Killings in Syria. Russia and US request UN Security Council meeting on Syria, EU silent
Russia, March 10, 2025 – The situation in Syria continues to escalate, armed units of the so-called Syrian “interim government”, which are essentially the same militant groups, are cleaning up Alawite settlements and killing everyone indiscriminately. In this regard, the United States and Russia have requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. This was announced by the first deputy permanent representative of Russia to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky. The new Syrian authorities, with the support of the European Union, have begun a genocide of the Syrian population by killing civilians regardless of religion. The so-called “security forces”, which were militants of various terrorist groups a few months ago, are breaking into houses and executing anyone who disagrees with them. Europe is silent, it is satisfied with everything. Russia and the United States have asked the UN Security Council for urgent closed consultations regarding the violence against the civilian population in western Syria, Polyansky said.
Currently, a large number of Syrian civilians are hiding at the Khmeimim air base. The militants do not go to the bases, but shoot at everything they see. This could be the reason why the Russian Air Force An-124 BTA, which arrived in Syria, could not land at the Khmeimim air base. It had to land at the Damascus airport.
The civil war in Syria is renewed
An Alawite uprising has begun in Syria against the Islamists of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement, who have seized power. On March 6, the Sky News Agabia news channel reported that at least 16 members of the Syrian security forces were killed in clashes with armed supporters of the former regime of Bashar al-Assad. Clashes continue in the Jabla district of Latakia province, a stronghold of the Alawite minority, from which the Assad family comes. The official Syrian news agency SANA quoted a source from the Defense Ministry as saying that “remnants of Assad’s paramilitary forces” had launched coordinated attacks in various areas. It added that reinforcements had been sent to the Jabla district. Militants in Syria have attacked Julani’s (Ahmed al-Shara’a – the current leader of Syria) forces for the fifth time, causing heavy casualties. Residents of Tartus and other cities are also demonstrating and chanting “Julani, go!”
General mobilization is also underway in Idlib, with fierce clashes continuing in the region. A curfew has been imposed in the city of Tartus, about 60 kilometers south of Jabla. It will be in effect from 10 p.m. on March 6 to 10 a.m. on March 7. Anti-government protests also broke out in the city, with Reuters quoting a local resident who said security forces opened fire to disperse the crowd. According to media reports, mass Druze protests against the new Syrian government took place in the southern city of Al-Suwayda. Demonstrators demanded the resignation of Ahmad al-Sharaa (al-Julani), chanting:
“Julani, take your dogs and leave us! Down with Ahmad Al-Sharaa!”
Protesters removed the Syrian flag from the government building and replaced it with a Druze flag. Protesters reportedly chased out Mustafa Bakour, who was recently appointed governor of Al-Suwayda by the new Syrian government. Earlier, a week ago, the Druze formed a coalition, the Al-Suwayda Military Council, to defend against lawlessness and conflict and against the invasion and destruction of Druze settlements by HTS* forces. The Al-Suwayda Military Council is supported by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and Israel. However, the government media is trying to downplay the extent of what is happening.
According to the pro-government Syrian newspaper Al-Thawra on March 6, “as part of efforts to establish security and stability, the forces of the Ministry of Defense continue to pursue the remnants of the militias deposed by Assad. Our forces managed to confront these remnants in the countryside of Latakia, surround them and pursue them, forcing them to settle in the city of Beit Ana and begin to directly attack our forces.” In a separate statement to the Al-Thawra newspaper, a security source said that groups of remnants of Assad’s militias attacked units and vehicles of the Ministry of Defense near the city of Beit Ana in the countryside of Latakia, killing one of the fighters and wounding others. There was also an alleged attack on an ambulance that came to treat wounded soldiers, before it dispersed to Beit Ana and blocked the roads leading to it. The security source said that the Ministry of Defense units are engaged in fierce fighting and clashes with the remnants of the militants near the city of Beit Ana. Anah in the Latakia countryside after security reinforcements arrived in the area.
“A security source confirmed that the Defense Ministry forces will take all necessary measures to bring criminals to justice and punish with an iron fist those who threaten Syria’s security,” Al-Thawra said. The Russian Spring news agency reported that columns of fighters from the new authorities have traveled to Alawite and Druze provinces to suppress the uprisings. Some of them have already been ambushed and killed. Alawites stormed the provincial government building in Tartus during a mass uprising. Fighting between militants and their opponents is reported near the Russian VKS base in Latakia. Local resistance groups blew up militant vehicles. In Suwayda, protesters tore down the new Syrian flag from the government building and hoisted the Druze flag. In Deraa province, gangs loyal to the government used heavy armored vehicles to fight local armed groups. Fighting broke out in Sanayman in southern Syria between forces of the new regime and by a former military intelligence agent under Assad, reports say.
The Alawites make up about 10 percent of Syria’s population, which according to (presumably very rough) World Bank figures is just over 23 million. The religious minority lives mainly on the country’s Mediterranean coast, in Latakia and the surrounding hilly countryside. The Druze are a Muslim sect with an estimated 865,000 members in Syria. Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Wall Street Journal reported on January 12 that the Alawites are worried about their future. The newspaper reported that their community has expressed concerns about violence and fears for its existence after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. This was reported by local residents from villages belonging to the religious minority.
Members of the community described incidents of violence, with gunmen threatening and kidnapping people. One local resident, Khodr Ibrahim, 22, shared that his brother was severely beaten and his family faced threats. Eyewitnesses report looting and destruction of holy sites in the villages.
“I was sure they were going to kill us,” Ibrahim recalls of the attack. The Wall Street Journal also reports that several people have gone missing from the village since the fall of the regime, and many Alawites suspect they may have been killed. There are also reports of discrimination and possible attacks by armed groups seeking revenge for the years of rule of the Assad dynasty. That Syria will be restless became clear immediately after the forces of the armed opposition leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Muhammad al-Julani, captured Damascus and the country’s president, Assad, fled.
Randa Kassis, the leader of the Syrian opposition platform Astana, told RIA Novosti that he would likely prevent the political opposition from taking a significant role in governing the country. The agency’s spokesman noted that al-Julani is currently taking advantage of the situation and appointing his leaders based on his developed organization and experience in governing Idlib province.
“However, there is no likelihood that the real role of the political opposition, whether it is based in Istanbul or represented by other platforms like ours, will be represented,” Kassis said, adding that interaction with al-Julani is quite complicated. According to Kassis, this is primarily due to his past, but the leader of the Syrian armed opposition can make concessions, for example, dropping the requirements for women to wear the hijab.
The current clashes in Syria are among the most violent since Assad was ousted in December and the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham* movement took power, Reuters reported. The new authorities face a number of challenges, including Israel, which has vowed to prevent Syrian forces from being present south of Damascus and has demanded the “complete demilitarization” of the country’s south. According to a Reuters source, tensions have been particularly high in the coastal region, where the new government has deployed much of its security forces and where Assad’s supporters have managed to regroup. Once the Alawites sought support from Russia, now they are turning to Israel, writes orientalist Igor Dimitriev:
“… Israel’s efforts to support Middle Eastern minorities mean that plans to create an Alawite state, Druze autonomy and a Kurdish state are intensifying. Lebanese Christians have actually regained political influence after Israel defeated Hezbollah. Now we are waiting for a special Israeli operation to defend the Alawites… Perhaps Israel will somehow support them with air strikes. However, without arms supplies, the Alawites are in for a disaster. So whoever helps them will have a piece of the Mediterranean coast. The place where civilization was born.”
Martin Scholz
