Abductions, extra-judicial killings surge in Syria under HTS rule

A militant affiliated with the HTS in Syria gestures next to damaged weapons at the site of an explosion at a weapons depot at the Industrial area of Adra, some 30 kilometers from the Syrian capital of Damascus on December 30, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

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A new report says violence has surged in Syria under the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rule, with approximately 400 kidnappings and extra-judicial killings since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government in early December.

Sputnik news agency, citing medical sources, reported on Tuesday that most of the victims who were abducted or killed across Syria were members of the Alawite minority religious group, as acts of revenge continue in the Arab country.

The news agency, citing local sources, also noted that six civilians were kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the Abbasiya neighborhood of the city of Homs on Monday.

“Their bodies were found after they were executed by firing squad” on the outskirts of the city, it said, adding that “five of them were from the same family.”

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The sources further stated that the bodies of three people who were abducted by an armed group two weeks ago were found in the coastal city of Jableh.

The fate of four young men who were also kidnapped by masked gunmen riding two four-wheel drive vehicles in Homs is also unknown, the sources added.

According to Sputnik, a further 15 people have also been kidnapped in the western port city of Latakia in the past 48 hours.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) also reported that the HTS militant group has carried out a raid in the town of Ras al-Ma’arra in the Damascus countryside, killing its mayor, and arresting 30 people.

On December 8, militants, led by the HTS, took control of Damascus and declared an end to President Bashar al-Assad’s rule in a surprise offensive that was launched from their stronghold in northwestern Syria, reaching the capital in less than two weeks.

The HTS has repeatedly claimed it would respect the rights of all sects and religions in Syria.

The situation, however, remains very fragile, with a potential risk of further clashes as sectarian sentiments continue to boil over, amid the ongoing political instability and pressure on minority groups.

Over 750 people killed in Syria throughout 2024: Report

Separately on Monday, the UK-based SOHR reported that Daesh terrorists had killed around 753 people during 491 recorded operations in Syria throughout 2024.

The report stated that Daesh continues “executing almost-daily military operations and counter-attacks” in areas controlled by the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), while the terrorist group’s cells “are still able to exploit opportunities to create a security vacuum and carry out assassinations.”

This clearly indicates that the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group “is still alive and kicking,” it added.

According to the report, these operations included ambushes, armed attacks, and bombing which were concentrated in the northern cities of Aleppo, Hama, Raqqa, the central city of Homs and the eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr, where a total of 646 people were killed.

It further noted that at least 78 of those killed were civilians, including women and children, while 568 were members of defected Syrian Arab Army (SAA).

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Furthermore, another 107 people were killed in areas controlled by the Kurdish-led SDF in Dayr al-Zawr, Hasakah, Aleppo, and Raqqah, the report said.

This comes as concerns are growing over the fate of 10,000 Daesh terrorists imprisoned by the SDF in northeast Syria as the terrorist group continues to revitalize its forces.

The HTS leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, has not commented on the crisis since seizing power in December.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-sponsored militancy since March 2011.

The former Damascus government blamed Western states and their regional allies for aiding terrorist groups to wreak havoc in the Arab country.

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Via https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/01/01/740107/Syria-HTS-violence-surge-kidnapping–extra-judicial-killings-Assad-fall-report