Thousands of Syrian Alawites continue to seek sanctuary at a Russian air base, fearing for their lives in the wake of a series of horrific sectarian massacres carried out by Syrian government-affiliated extremist armed groups.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that about 9,000 people were seeking refuge at Hmeimim, an air base established by Russia as part of its 2015 intervention in the US-backed war that began in 2011 to topple the Syrian government of former president Bashar al-Assad.
Thousands of people have been sheltering at the Hmeimim Air Base near the coastal city of Jablah since March 7, when extremist militants went from house to house in predominantly Alawite towns and villages, killing residents and looting and burning their homes.
A few Alawites have left the base, seeking to return to their houses. Reuters reported on Friday that Rana Boushieh, 34, returned to her village, Al-Sanobar, on March 13. Her brother reassured her that the situation had stabilized and encouraged her to return home, arranging for her to be escorted by government security forces.
However, others were scared to leave. "Honestly, there is definitely fear, but God willing, things will get better, God willing," she said.
Boushieh headed for the base with her family as the massacres were beginning.
Watch: Jolani's men try intimidating Alawite refugees right at the outer gates of Hmeimim airbase:
🚨🇸🇾 Jolani terrorist tries intimidating Alawite refugees at Hmeimim airbase, says "As civilians no one supports you!", then plays nice for camera
— OstensibleOyster (@Ostensiblay) March 11, 2025
Comment at +1k likes is woman saying "shut off the camera & get to work", meaning genocide the Alawites: https://t.co/2V0DhmtTxe https://t.co/Hyv6uSforc pic.twitter.com/JVGrmsghTm
After being awoken by gunfire, she and her family quickly fled to another area of the village before escaping with other residents to Hmeimim, located 11 km away.
"In the Syrian coastal region, Reuters journalists saw many homes and shops torched and looted, and villages largely deserted, during a visit to the area on Thursday, on which they were accompanied by government security personnel,"” the British news agency reported.
One man speaking with Reuters said he found the bodies of his brother and nephew upon returning to Al-Sanobar. He preferred to remain anonymous out of fear for his safety.
The name of a Sunni extremist armed group linked to the government had been written in graffiti on walls in several places.
🇸🇾🤝🇷🇺 Meanwhile in Syria about 8 thousand Alawites are housed at the Russian Khmeimim airbase in Latakia hiding from mass killings and reprisals by the new Syrian government forces led by HTS.
— Roberto (@UniqueMongolia) March 14, 2025
The Russian administration of the base provides refugees with everything necessary. pic.twitter.com/nRjO9ivZ6O
"You brought this upon yourselves," said one slogan. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported Friday that government-linked forces have carried out 54 massacres since 6 March, killing at least 1,476 Alawite civilians.
The SOHR accused some international human rights organizations of "misrepresenting the violence as a conflict between warring factions, rather than acknowledging the atrocities as systematic massacres."
Russia is trying to keep good relations with the new Syrian government, which is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – Al-Qaeda's offshoot in Syria that Moscow fought against during the 2015 intervention.
🇸🇾 From Khmeimim airport.
— Sprinter Observer (@SprinterObserve) March 14, 2025
Russian military personnel are trying to brighten up the children's stay at the Russian base by organizing leisure activities. pic.twitter.com/wCwpBOxQt2
HTS militants ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's government and took power in December last year. Russian forces did not intervene on behalf of Assad's government as they had in the past.
Late last month, Reuters reported that Israel is lobbying the United States to keep Syria weak and decentralized, including by letting Russia keep its military bases there to counter Turkey's growing influence in the country.
Thousands of Syrian Alawites continue to seek sanctuary at a Russian air base, fearing for their lives in the wake of a series of horrific sectarian massacres carried out by Syrian government-affiliated extremist armed groups.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that about 9,000 people were seeking refuge at Hmeimim, an air base established by Russia as part of its 2015 intervention in the US-backed war that began in 2011 to topple the Syrian government of former president Bashar al-Assad.
Thousands of people have been sheltering at the Hmeimim Air Base near the coastal city of Jablah since March 7, when extremist militants went from house to house in predominantly Alawite towns and villages, killing residents and looting and burning their homes.
A few Alawites have left the base, seeking to return to their houses. Reuters reported on Friday that Rana Boushieh, 34, returned to her village, Al-Sanobar, on March 13. Her brother reassured her that the situation had stabilized and encouraged her to return home, arranging for her to be escorted by government security forces.
However, others were scared to leave. “Honestly, there is definitely fear, but God willing, things will get better, God willing,” she said.
Boushieh headed for the base with her family as the massacres were beginning.
Watch: Jolani’s men try intimidating Alawite refugees right at the outer gates of Hmeimim airbase:
🚨🇸🇾 Jolani terrorist tries intimidating Alawite refugees at Hmeimim airbase, says “As civilians no one supports you!”, then plays nice for camera
Comment at +1k likes is woman saying “shut off the camera & get to work”, meaning genocide the Alawites: https://t.co/2V0DhmtTxe https://t.co/Hyv6uSforc pic.twitter.com/JVGrmsghTm
— OstensibleOyster (@Ostensiblay) March 11, 2025
After being awoken by gunfire, she and her family quickly fled to another area of the village before escaping with other residents to Hmeimim, located 11 km away.
“In the Syrian coastal region, Reuters journalists saw many homes and shops torched and looted, and villages largely deserted, during a visit to the area on Thursday, on which they were accompanied by government security personnel,”” the British news agency reported.
One man speaking with Reuters said he found the bodies of his brother and nephew upon returning to Al-Sanobar. He preferred to remain anonymous out of fear for his safety.
The name of a Sunni extremist armed group linked to the government had been written in graffiti on walls in several places.
🇸🇾🤝🇷🇺 Meanwhile in Syria about 8 thousand Alawites are housed at the Russian Khmeimim airbase in Latakia hiding from mass killings and reprisals by the new Syrian government forces led by HTS.
The Russian administration of the base provides refugees with everything necessary. pic.twitter.com/nRjO9ivZ6O— Roberto (@UniqueMongolia) March 14, 2025
“You brought this upon yourselves,” said one slogan. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported Friday that government-linked forces have carried out 54 massacres since 6 March, killing at least 1,476 Alawite civilians.
The SOHR accused some international human rights organizations of “misrepresenting the violence as a conflict between warring factions, rather than acknowledging the atrocities as systematic massacres.”
Russia is trying to keep good relations with the new Syrian government, which is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – Al-Qaeda’s offshoot in Syria that Moscow fought against during the 2015 intervention.
🇸🇾 From Khmeimim airport.
Russian military personnel are trying to brighten up the children’s stay at the Russian base by organizing leisure activities. pic.twitter.com/wCwpBOxQt2
— Sprinter Observer (@SprinterObserve) March 14, 2025
HTS militants ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s government and took power in December last year. Russian forces did not intervene on behalf of Assad’s government as they had in the past.
Late last month, Reuters reported that Israel is lobbying the United States to keep Syria weak and decentralized, including by letting Russia keep its military bases there to counter Turkey’s growing influence in the country.
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