Sectarian Violence Claims Lives in Syria's Coastal Region

In Syria's coastal region, sectarian violence has resulted in the death of entire families, including women and children. The U.N. human rights office calls for accountability after reports indicate hundreds of civilians, mainly from the Alawite sect, were killed by Bashar al-Assad loyalists. Investigations are underway.

In a tragic escalation of violence, entire families, including women and children, have been killed in Syria's coastal region. The attacks were part of a series of sectarian killings by the army targeting insurgents loyal to Bashar al-Assad, according to the U.N. human rights office on Tuesday.

There is mounting pressure on Syria's Islamist-led government to investigate following a war monitor's report of hundreds of civilian deaths in predominantly Alawite villages. Thameen Al-Kheetan, a spokesperson for the U.N. human rights office, described the killings as particularly disturbing due to their sectarian nature.

U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk emphasized the need for prompt and impartial investigations. The U.N. has so far documented 111 civilian deaths, with expectations that the real number is significantly higher. Survivors have provided testimonies of summary executions carried out on a sectarian basis, highlighting the urgent need for accountability.

(With inputs from agencies.)