By Muhammad al-Qadi
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The presence of fighters affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the widespread distribution of weapons and armed individuals in various areas of Damascus has become a routine sight.
On Dec.8, the regime of Bashar al-Assad collapsed after the Military Operations Command of HTS reached the Syrian capital, Damascus.
After the fall of the al-Assad regime, many Syrians fear retribution and human rights violations under the pretext of revenge and other motives.
In recent days, social media has shown videos of arrests and violations, including field executions for various reasons.
Burning Assad’s tomb
On Dec. 11, video footage circulated on social media platforms showed armed individuals setting fire to the tomb of former Syrian president Hafez al-Assad in his hometown of al-Qardahah in the countryside of Latakia.
The tomb also contains the grave of Hafez al-Assad’s eldest son, Bassel al-Assad, who died in a car accident in 1994.
In the video, one person can be heard saying, “The tomb should not have been burned but turned into a public toilet.”
Another voice says, “Allahu Akbar, the mujahideen are now burning the tomb of the cursed dictator, criminal tyrant Hafez al-Assad.”
Field executions
In recent days, social media has been flooded with videos of field executions carried out against individuals for various reasons, including accusations of being “Nusayri (infidels)” or “Shabiha” (militiamen loyal to al-Assad’s regime), amidst international calls and warnings about retaliatory actions against civilians based on ethnic, religious, or political affiliation.
North Press reported the killing of 27 civilians in neighborhoods and villages in Homs, the majority of whom were from the Alawite sect, as acts of revenge, amid security chaos in these areas over the past three days.
On Dec. 10, video footage released showed armed individuals executing a man from the Alawite community and mutilating his body, but the location could not be confirmed.
Social media also shared a video showing an armed individual from the Military Operations Command executing two young men in the village of Rabia in the Hama countryside, accusing them of being “infidels.”
In Idlib, videos surfaced showing armed individuals among a crowd of people mutilating the body of a person accused of being a “Shabiha”. The footage showed his neck being tied with a rope, dragged through the streets, and stones thrown at him after he was killed.
SNA
Synergy/Hevdesti Association, a victims’ advocacy group operating in northeastern Syria, documented a series of violations committed by Turkish-backed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), in the city of Manbij, northern Syria, and called for the accountability of those responsible for these violations.
SNA factions entered Manbij shortly after launching a military operation called “Dawn of Freedom.”
In a report, Synergy stated that SNA militants executed two injured fighters of the Manbij Military Council, a component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who were receiving treatment at a hospital.
They also executed detainees who were shot at different locations in the city without trial or any legal procedures. Additionally, civilians were killed during the clashes, and their bodies were left in the streets without burial.
The association reported that among the victims were families who were killed inside their vehicles during the fighting and left exposed.
The report also mentioned that the factions forced the displacement of Kurdish civilians from their areas, looted their properties, and arrested many civilians, including men and women, especially those working in civil institutions affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (SNA).
The report documented the invasion of the home of Kurdish doctor Ali Wali, where he and his wife were beaten, and $20,000 was stolen from their home.
In its report, Synergy called for an independent international investigation and accountability for those responsible for the violations. It said that what is happening in Manbij is not just a military clash; it is a gross violation of human rights, especially the targeting of civilians and paving the way for systematic forced displacement.