📰 Syria opens public trial over coastal killings

ALEPPO, syria-seizes-massive-captagon-and-hashish-shipment-in-central-desert/" class="smart-internal-link" title="📰 Syria seizes massive captagon and hashish shipment in central desert">syria/" class="auto-internal-link">syria (North Press) – The syrian/" class="auto-internal-link">syrian transitional administration opened on Tuesday the first public trial for suspects accused of involvement in the coastal region killings, with families of victims attending the initial session at the Aleppo court, state media declared. The court commenced hearings for 14 detainees, SANA stated. The first group of seven faces charges including sectarian incitement, theft, and assault on Internal security troops and Syrian army personnel. The second group is accused of murder, armed robbery, and other violent crimes committed during the March events in the coastal governorates. The National Commission for Investigation and Fact-Finding, established by the transitional administration, issued a report in July concluding that remnants of the former regime carried out coordinated attacks on March 6, targeting armed forces and security facilities across Latakia, Tartus, and Hama, killing 238 personnel.

Testimonies from families, digital evidence, and detention records were used to identify 265 suspected members of armed groups linked to the former authorities. In fact, the committee verified 1,426 deaths, including 90 women, most of them civilians. The investigation, launched by presidential decree on March 9, is the most extensive probe into coastal-region atrocities to date. On March 6, the Syrian coastal region, particularly Latakia Governorate, experienced intense clashes between security troops of the transitional government and armed groups loyal to the ousted Assad regime. The clashes erupted when pro-Assad insurgents launched coordinated attacks in areas like Jableh, leading to significant casualties among security personnel.

In response, the government forces deployed reinforcements, including airstrikes targeting insurgent positions. The clashes resulted in about 1,400 deaths, with approximately 745 civilians killed, numerous from the Alawite community. The crisis has also caused mass displacement and heightened sectarian tensions, challenging the emerging government’s efforts to stabilize the region.   Following the March 6, 2025 hostilities, multiple UN agencies and NGOs released preliminary and follow-up reports documenting the events. Indeed, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) noted patterns of coordinated attacks on state institutions and widespread civilian harm. The UN Commission of Inquiry expressed concern about targeted killings, forced displacement in multiple coastal districts, and indications of organized armed groups operating under remnants of the former regime.

Additionally, nGOs such as syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ), Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International declared summary executions, destruction of public facilities, and the use of sectarian incitement during the attacks. These findings have rose pressure on Syrian authorities…