More than a thousand people were killed in the coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia, with some 700 civilians executed at close range, according to reports.

Gideon Sa’ar slammed European leaders for meeting with de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

By JNS and EJP

 

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday strongly condemned atrocities in Syria allegedly committed by forces loyal to the country’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

More than a thousand people were killed in the coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia, with some 700 civilians executed at close range, according to reports.

In an interview with Germany’s Bild newspaper, Sa’ar criticized European leaders for their engagement with al-Sharaa.

“Europeans flocked to Damascus in recent months to shake his hand, but he and his men were jihadists and have remained so, even if they now wear suits,” Sa’ar said.

The massacres taking place in Syria have reignited concerns over the Sunni Islamist government that overthrew Bashar Assad in December. More than a thousand people were killed in the coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia, with some 700 civilians executed at close range, according to reports.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 745 civilians, 125 government security force members and 148 militants from armed groups affiliated with the Assad regime had been killed.

Sa’ar dismissed al-Sharaa’s assurances of inclusivity as a façade, referring to him by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani: “This weekend, the masks fell. Al-Jolani’s men mercilessly massacred their own people—the citizens of the so-called ‘New Syria.’”

The Israeli foreign minister urged Europe to take a firm stance: “It must stop lending legitimacy to a regime whose first acts—unsurprisingly, given its terrorist past—are these atrocities.”

He called on the international community to speak out “against the massacre” and “the barbaric murder of civilians.”

Videos circulating online show armed militants executing civilians, with reports of gunmen indiscriminately attacking homes, checking IDs to target specific religious minorities and looting properties. Survivors described horrific scenes of bodies in the streets.

The killings occurred in the country’s coastal region, home to the Alawite minority, a sect to which Assad belongs.

Al-Sharaa was a leading figure in Al-Qaeda before founding Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). His government denies responsibility for the mass killings, calling the accusations “undocumented.” Human rights groups have also reported Assad loyalists killing members of al-Sharaa’s security forces.

The EU condemns ‘attacks by pro-Assad elements on government forces’

Over the weekend, in a statement, the European Union strongly condemned the attacks ‘’reportedly by pro-Assad elements, on interim government forces in the coastal areas of Syria and all violence against civilians.’’

The fact that the EU stated that pro-Assad elements attacked government forces was based on elements on the ground and reporting from the EU delegation and member states in Damascus, an EU spokesperson clarified on Monday.

The statement issued on Saturday said that ”civilians have to be protected in all circumstances in full respect of international humanitarian law.”

‘’The EU also calls on all external actors to fully respect the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria. The EU condemns any attempts to undermine stability and the prospects for a lasting peaceful transition, inclusive and respectful of all Syrians in their diversity,’’ the statement added.

Since the fall of the Assad regime, the EU has adopted a ”step-by-step” approach towards the new country’s leadership, rge Isdlamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

EU foreign ministers agreed to begin gradually easing sanctions on Syria to support economic recovery after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad.

The ‘roadmap’  includes the lifting of sanctions on the energy and transport sectors and key financial institutions.

“While we aim to move fast, the lifting of sanctions can be reversed if wrong steps are taken,” Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief said.

Will the latest developments in Syria, will the EU reconsider its position on the new government ?  The EU is awaiting to see the results of a commission of inquiry on the events set up by the Syrian authorities. A conference over Syria will be held in Brussels next week with the presence of the Syrian Foreign Minister.