Coastal Violence: Syrian factions accused of sectarian massacres

Shafaq News/ Syrian factions, Suleiman Shah Brigade (Amshat) and Hamza Division (Hamzat), stand accused of committing large-scale massacres and ethnic cleansing in Syria’s coastal region, targeting the Alawite community, Al-Hurra reported on Monday.

These factions conducted summary executions, house burnings, and forced displacements in Banias, Tartus, and Latakia under the pretext of fighting remnants of the former regime, activists and rights groups alleged.

Over 1000 individuals have been killed in recent escalations, including 568 Alawite men, women, and children. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that some victims were executed by gunfire, while others were beheaded in systematic sectarian killings.

Local sources in the town of Tanina, Tartus, reported that a convoy of Amshat and Hamzat fighters stormed Banias, where they took control for two days. During this period, they allegedly conducted mass executions in the Al-Qusour district, a predominantly Alawite neighborhood, and set homes ablaze.

After reports of widespread killings, General Security Forces launched a military operation, forcing the factions to withdraw to Al-Hatania, Tartus countryside, while drones continued to monitor the area.

Both factions have been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department over war crimes and human rights violations. The 2023 sanctions included asset freezes and financial restrictions on their leaders, citing extortion, forced displacement, kidnappings, and targeted assassinations. The US also blacklisted "Al-Safir Auto", a car trade company owned by Amshat leader Mohammad Hussein Al-Jassim (Abu Amsha), for alleged money laundering.

Despite their main presence in Afrin, Al-Bab, and northern Aleppo, both groups relocated fighters to the coastal region in support of Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s transitional government. The factions remain deeply embedded within the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), operating with logistical and military support from Ankara.

Suleiman Shah Brigade, led by Abu Amsha, operates primarily from Sheikh Hadid in Afrin, with networks extending into northern Aleppo and Idlib. Hamza Division, under the command of Saif Boulat (Abu Bakr), maintains a presence in Al-Bab, Jarablus, and Afrin. Both factions have been accused of running illegal detention centers and carrying out extrajudicial killings, including the 2022 assassination of activist Mohammad Abdul Latif (Abu Ghannoum) and his wife in Al-Bab.

Amid the coastal region’s bloodshed, the new Syrian administration accused pro-Assad loyalists of launching counterattacks against security forces, further fueling the conflict. However, widely circulated videos on social media appear to show executions of civilians, raising questions about the official narrative. SOHR sources indicated that much of the violence involved pro-government factions and foreign fighters. Reports suggest that mercenaries from Uzbekistan and Central Asia participated in the operations, alongside remnants of former regime forces.