Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has launched an investigation after a whole lot of individuals have been killed in combating between safety forces and fighters loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad within the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous.
“We announce the formation of a fact-finding committee concerning the occasions on the coast and type a better committee,” al-Sharaa stated in an handle to the nation on Sunday following days of violent unrest.
The Syrian chief stated that the nation was confronting makes an attempt to pull it right into a civil conflict. In his speech, al-Sharaa stated that “remnants of the previous regime” had no selection however to give up instantly as he vowed to carry accountable “anybody concerned in civilian bloodshed”.
The Syrian presidency earlier introduced that an “impartial committee” had been fashioned to “examine the violations in opposition to civilians and establish these liable for them”, including that the perpetrators could be referred to court docket.
“The Committee has the suitable to make use of whoever it deems acceptable to carry out its duties, and submit its report back to the Presidency of the Republic inside a most interval of thirty days from the date of issuance of this resolution,” the presidency’s assertion learn.
Based on Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, the clashes on Sunday befell within the city of Qardahah in Latakia.
“Qardahah is symbolically an especially vital [city], as a result of it’s the birthplace of the al-Assad regime,” stated Serdar, reporting from Damascus.
“However one of many crucial places … is Baniyas, in Tartous. Banias is dwelling to the most important oil refinery in Syria, and the safety forces are saying that remnants of the outdated regime [have] a number of occasions tried to assault that oil refinery,” he added.
The violence in Banias got here regardless of a call for peace by al-Sharaa earlier on Sunday.
Serdar stated that Syrian safety forces have reported a lack of 230 of their very own personnel, whereas nearly all of these killed have been civilians.
Lethal clashes
The combating started after the pro-Assad fighters coordinated assaults on safety forces on Thursday. The assaults spiralled into revenge killings as hundreds of armed supporters of Syria’s new management went to the coastal areas to assist the safety forces.
The clashes – which London-based conflict monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated had already killed 1,000 folks, largely civilians – continued for a fourth day on Sunday. Syrians have circulated graphic movies of executions of civilians.
Al Jazeera has been unable to independently confirm the casualty figures.
Within the face of the clashes, al-Sharaa urged “nationwide unity” as he reassured a crowd at a mosque in his childhood neighbourhood of Mezzeh, in Damascus.
“We now have to protect nationwide unity and home peace. We are able to reside collectively,” the president stated.
“Relaxation assured about Syria, this nation has the traits for survival … What’s at present occurring in Syria is throughout the anticipated challenges.”
‘A serious setback’
United Nations rights chief Volker Turk demanded immediate investigations into the killings and stated these accountable have to be held to account. Turk stated bulletins by the nation’s authorities to respect the legislation must be adopted by motion to guard Syrians and to make sure accountability for abuses.
Based on Labib al-Nahhas, a Syrian opposition politician and activist, the violence is “a serious setback” for post-Assad Syria.
“What occurred proper now’s a extremely subtle, coordinated assault, instigated and supported by Iran and Hezbollah, based on information and intel that’s accessible,” al-Nahhas informed Al Jazeera.
“Iran, which is in search of new leverage in Syria … they’re relying on the sectarian and spiritual rigidity that exists in Syria on account of six a long time of the Syrian regime. However that is the place the brand new authorities have an opportunity to indicate a unique form of tone and means.”
The brand new authorities should construct “a powerful nationwide, unified entrance” – the cornerstone of which “could be a brand new transitional authorities that’s actually inclusive, not [just] lip service”, al-Nahhas stated.
“It’s the accountability not solely of the authorities, but additionally the whole Syrian society, to essentially give attention to the positives, on the widespread floor.”
Regional stability
Jordan, in the meantime, hosted a regional convention on Sunday to debate points going through Syria resembling safety, reconstruction and refugees. High officers from Turkiye, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon joined the assembly within the Jordanian capital Amman.
“All of these nations sharing a border with Syria have a vested curiosity that there’s stability and safety for the brand new administration and for the Syrian folks,” stated Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman.
“For instance, stability in Syria implies that the tens of millions of refugees that Turkiye and Jordan are internet hosting can return voluntarily to Syria,” she added.
“If there may be stability and the rule of legislation and a united Syria, then Iraq can have extra consolation within the struggle in opposition to ISIS [ISIL]…. If there may be stability and safety, Jordan can be extra comfy within the struggle in opposition to drug trafficking, which has created a disaster for the Jordanian authorities.”
Al-Assad’s overthrow in December ended greater than 5 a long time of dynastic rule by his household, which was marked by extreme repression and a devastating conflict that erupted in 2011 after peaceable anti-government protests have been met with a brutal safety crackdown. Tens of hundreds of Syrians have been killed and tens of millions have been compelled to flee the nation or displaced internally as Syria descended into conflict.
