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Iraq warns of violence in Syria, calls for protection of civilians

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
8 Mar 2025 01:48

After dozens of Syrians were executed by regime forces in western Syria, Iraq called for peaceful solutions and dialogue between Syrians.

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Members of the Syrian security forces enter the western city of Baniyas in Syria's coastal Tartous province following clashes with local militants, on March 7, 2025. (SANA via AFP)

Iraq's Foreign Ministry has expressed concern over violent developments in Syria, which it said could have serious repercussions on regional security and stability.

A statement released by the ministry on Saturday stressed the need to protect civilians and "sparing them the horrors conflict."

Emphasizing the importance of restraint by all parties, Baghdad called for peaceful solutions and dialogue between Syrians rather than armed action.

The statement also categorically rejected the targeting of innocent civilians in the neighboring country, warning of continued violence that would deepen the crisis and hinder efforts to restore peace and security.

Iraq urged the international community to "intensify efforts to end the humanitarian suffering in Syria," underlining "political pathways" as essential to ensuring Syria's unity, the safety of its people, and stability across the region.

Unrest on Syria's coast leads to deadly clashes

Clashes broke out on the Syrian coast on Thursday several weeks after the new Syrian regime took power, where local militants attacked positions of regime-affiliated militants and security forces, vowing to "liberate coastal areas."

Armed conflict erupted following widespread reports of summary executions, abductions, and a deepening state of unrest along the Syrian coast. In response, the new regime forces, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, launched a military campaign to suppress the insurgency. However, the Saturday morning offensives were marred by egregious war crimes, further intensifying the crisis and raising serious humanitarian concerns.

Regime forces execute Syrian Alawites

Syrian security forces executed 69 members of the Alawite minority in western Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday.

The executions took place in the towns of al-Shir and al-Mukhtariya in the Latakia countryside. Verified videos and testimonies from relatives of the deceased confirmed the killings, the Observatory said.

Footage released by activists and the Observatory showed dozens of civilian-clothed bodies piled in a yard, with bloodstains visible and women wailing nearby. Another video depicted armed men ordering three individuals to crawl on the ground before executing them at close range. A third clip showed a soldier shooting a man in the doorway of a building.

A source in Syria’s Interior Ministry, quoted by state news agency SANA, acknowledged the so-called "individual violations" but pledged to end them.

"After remnants of the toppled regime assassinated security personnel, unorganized masses responded, leading to violations," the source stated.

"We are working to stop these acts, which do not represent the Syrian people as a whole," the ministry added after making similar claims on previous occasions.