A defence ministry source on Saturday told state media that all roads leading to the coast had been blocked to stop violations and help return calm, with security forces deploying in streets of coastal cities.
A tank in Baniyas being transported by fighters with the new Syrian government.Credit: Getty Images
The source said that an emergency committee set up to monitor violations would refer anyone found not to have obeyed the military orders to a military court.
The reported scale of the violence, which includes reports of an execution-style killing of dozens of Alawite men in one village, puts into further question the Islamist ruling authority’s ability to govern in an inclusive manner, which Western and Arab capitals have raised as a key concern.
Assad was overthrown in December after decades of dynastic rule by his family marked by severe repression and a devastating civil war.
Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, while backing the crackdown in a televised address late on Friday, said security forces should not allow anyone to “exaggerate in their response … because what differentiates us from our enemy is our commitment to our values”.
“When we give up on our morals, us and our enemy end up on the same side,” he said, adding that civilians and captives should not be mistreated.
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Syrian Facebook on Saturday was filled with images and obituaries of people from the coastal area being mourned by family and friends who said their loved ones had been killed.
Abdulrahman, a leading critical voice against the Assad-led government who documented its alleged killings for more than a decade, said: “This is not about being pro or against the former Assad regime. These are sectarian massacres that aim to expel the Alawite population from their homes.”
The defence ministry and internal security agency said on Saturday they were trying to restore calm and order to prevent any violations against civilians in the coastal region.
Six residents of the coastal region said thousands of Alawites and Christians had fled their homes since Thursday, fearing for their lives.
Several hundred, mostly women, children and elders, sought refuge at a Russian Mediterranean military base in Latakia, according to footage from the scene and two people familiar with the matter.
Abdulrahman and four people in the coastal region, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said killings, looting and the burning of homes had continued overnight in Baniyas and in surrounding villages.
Reuters could not independently verify the assertions.
