[INTIME]
Greece’s Foreign Ministry released a statement on Saturday expressing its concern over reports of numerous civilian casualties in Syria, following clashes between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied militias against Assad loyalists in the Syrian coastal towns of Tartus, Lattakia, and surrounding villages.
“We are deeply alarmed by reports of violent clashes with numerous civilian casualties in Syria. We call on all sides to show responsibility and seek peaceful solutions, refraining from actions that would further inflame tensions,” read the statement, posted on X.
“These developments increase the urgency for an inclusive political transition process and securing the protection of all ethnic and religious communities, in the spirit of national unity,” it added.
Numerous videos and photos circulating on social media reportedly show HTS and allied militiamen killing Alawite civilians in Syrian coastal cities and villages.
According to the war monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 700 people, including over 500 Alawite civilians, had been killed as of Saturday due to the clashes and subsequent revenge killings.
HTS captured Damascus in December 2024 and installed its leader, Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, as president.
Sharaa, formerly known by the nom de guerre Al-Julani, was the former leader of Al-Qaeda in Syria. His rise to power has sparked fears of persecution against Syrian minorities, including Druze, Alawites, Christians and others.