Hundreds of individuals have protested in a number of cities throughout Syria after a video circulates exhibiting an assault on an Alawite shrine within the north, a battle monitor and witnesses say.
Syria’s new rulers mentioned the video was “previous” and “unknown teams” have been behind the assault, saying “republishing” the video served to “fire up strife”, a day after tons of protested in Damascus towards the torching of a Christmas tree.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) monitor mentioned “1000’s of individuals” took to the streets on Wednesday with main demonstrations within the coastal cities of Tartous and Latakia, provinces which might be the heartland of the Alawite minority, to which deposed longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad belongs.
SOHR additionally reported protests within the central metropolis of Homs and Qardaha, al-Assad’s hometown.
Witnesses mentioned demonstrations broke out in Tartous, Latakia and close by Jableh, the place photographs confirmed giant crowds within the streets with some folks chanting slogans together with, “Alawite, Sunni, we would like peace.”
The state information company SANA mentioned police in central Homs imposed a curfew from 6pm (15:00 GMT) till 8am (05:00 GMT) on Thursday whereas authorities in Jableh and two different cities additionally introduced a nighttime curfew.
SOHR mentioned the protests erupted after a video started circulating on Wednesday exhibiting “an assault by fighters” on an necessary Alawite shrine within the Maysaloon district of Syria’s second largest metropolis, Aleppo. It mentioned 5 employees have been killed and the shrine was set ablaze.
SOHR chief Rami Abdel Rahman mentioned the video was filmed earlier this month after opposition rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a lightning offensive; seized management of main cities, together with Aleppo on December 1; and ousted al-Assad every week later.
‘Sure to a free Syria’
Nonetheless, the Ministry of Inside mentioned on its official Telegram account that the video dated again to the insurgent offensive on Aleppo in late November and the violence was carried out by unknown teams, including that whoever was circulating the video now gave the impression to be looking for to incite sectarian strife.
The ministry additionally mentioned some members of the previous regime had attacked Inside Ministry forces in Syria’s coastal areas on Wednesday, leaving some folks useless and wounded.
Protester Ali Daoud mentioned 1000’s attended the demonstration in Jableh, including: “We’re calling for many who attacked the shrine to be held to account.”
Photographs confirmed a big crowd marching within the streets brandishing the three-star independence-era insurgent flag.
“No to burning holy locations and spiritual discrimination. No to sectarianism. Sure to a free Syria,” one protest placard learn.
Within the metropolis of Latakia, protesters decried “violations” towards the Alawite neighborhood, protester Ghidak Mayya, 30, mentioned.
“For now, … we’re listening to requires calm,” he mentioned, warning that an excessive amount of strain on the neighborhood “dangers an explosion”.
Tartous resident and protester Alaa, 33, expressed concern that the scenario might deteriorate, saying that “a single drop of blood dangers us going again to a really unhealthy situation”.
Al-Assad lengthy offered himself as a protector of minority teams in Sunni Muslim-majority Syria.
Alawites worry a backlash towards their neighborhood each as a minority non secular group and due to its lengthy affiliation with al-Assad’s household.
On Tuesday, tons of of demonstrators protested in Christian areas of Damascus towards the burning of a Christmas tree close to central Syria’s Hama. The HTS promised to revive it promptly.
The nation’s new leaders have repeatedly promised to guard minority non secular teams, who worry that the previous rebels now in management might search to impose a conservative type of authorities.
