The Syrian Human Rights Observatory announced today that more than 700 civilians They have been killed by Syrian security forces and their allied organizations on Thursday during businesses and battles with reversed President Bashar al-Assad in Western Syria.

The Syrian Human Rights Observatory announced that, on Thursday, “745 Alawites were killed in the Syrian coast and Latakia mountains by security forces and organizations linked to them.”

This announcement increases the account of violence in at least 1,018 dead, including 273 members of the security forces and fighters loyal to Assad’s faction, according to the same source.

The Assad family, members of the Alawite minority sect, ruled Syria for more than half a century until the Sunni Islamist fighters who tried to reshape the country’s political and sectarian order.

Syrian Alawites make up about 10% of the population.

Syrian transitional president Ahmed al-Saraa pledged in a television speech on Friday to pursue those responsible for the murder of dozens of Syrian security executives.

He also urged security forces to “ensure that there will be no excessive or unjustified answers” following reports of many civilian losses during conflict.

Sana’s official Syrian news agency reported that after the deaths of many police officers and security personnel, “large, disorganized crowds moved to the coast”, citing Syrian interior ministry official.

Murders of retaliation between Sunni and Alawites

The murders of revenge began on Friday by Sunni Muslim armed loyalists to the government against members of the Assad minority sect of the Alawites are a major blow to Hayat Tahrir al-Sam, the team that led to the overthrow of the former government. The Alawites have been a large part of Assad’s support for decades.

Residents of villages and cities of Alawites spoke to the Associated Press about murders in which armed Alawites, mostly men, on the streets or doors of their homes. Many Alawite houses were looted and then set on fire in different areas, they told AP.

Common Declaration by Patriarchs of Christian Churches of Syria – condemn the massacres of innocent

In a joint statement, the three patriarchs of the Christian churches of Syria John I, Ignatius Ephraim II and Yusev al -Abi “call for these horrific acts to be stopped immediately in Syria, condemning the recent wave of attacks and murders.

The whole statement:

In recent days, Syria has witnessed a dangerous escalation of violence, brutality and murder, resulting in attacks on innocent citizens, including women and children. Houses have been violated by people who ignored their sacredness and have been looted – scenes that strongly reflect the enormous misery of the Syrian people.

The Christian churches, while strongly condemning every act that threatens peace among citizens, denounce and condemn the slaughter with the aim of innocent civilians and call for the immediate end of these horrible acts, which are in stark contrast to all human and moral values.

The churches also call for the rapid creation of conditions that will favor the achievement of a national reconciliation between the Syrian people. They encourage the creation of an environment that facilitates the transition to a state that respects all its citizens and lays the foundations for a society based on equality of citizens and genuine cooperation, free from the logic of revenge and exclusion. At the same time, they reaffirm the unity of Syrian territory and reject every effort to divide it.

The churches call on all stakeholders within Syria to take responsibility, to put an end to violence and to seek peaceful solutions that will defend human dignity and maintain national unity.

We pray for God to protect Syria and its people and to prevail in peace throughout the country.

Foreign Minister: Deeply upset by reports of violent conflicts with many civilian losses

“We are deeply alarmed by reports of violent conflicts with many casualties in Syria,” the Foreign Ministry said in a Twitter post.

“We call on all sides to show responsibility and seek peaceful solutions, abstaining from actions that would further spark tensions.”

“These developments increase the urgent nature of a political transitional process without exclusion and the ensuring the protection of all ethnic and religious communities in the spirit of national unity,” he concludes.