Over 340 Alawite civilians killed by security forces

More than 340 Alawite civilians have been killed by Syrian security forces in recent days amid clashes with militants loyal to the former government of Bashar al-Assad. This marks a significant escalation in violence since the new authorities took power. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that many of the deaths resulted from executions by security personnel and pro-government fighters. The overall death toll now stands at 553, including security forces and pro-Assad fighters. The violence follows the arrest of a wanted individual in an Alawite village. While there has been a relative return to calm, security forces continue operations in the region, and fears of reprisals against Alawites persist.