The Supreme Islamic Alawite Council in Syria and the diaspora has rejected the recently formed Coastal Fact-Finding Committee and its findings, calling on the international community to pressure the Syrian authorities.
In a video statement delivered on Friday, July 25, Sheikh Ghazal Ghazal, the head of the Council, stated that Syria is “governed by a complete terrorist system that pits citizens against one another, seeks to erase their existence, and promotes a distorted religion unrelated to Islam—one that glorifies bloodshed, distorts truths, and uses justice as a pretext for oppression and violating people’s lives and property.”
Ghazal added, “The Council does not recognize the committee—neither on the day of its formation nor after the release of its results,” asserting that it is a tool for misleading public opinion and concealing the truth from the global conscience.
Committee Findings
On July 22, the committee announced the results of its investigation during a press conference attended by Enab Baladi. It reported identifying individuals accused of committing violations during the coastal events, including 265 affiliated with outlawed armed groups linked to the “remnants of Assad,” and 298 others from various military factions who disobeyed orders and are suspected of committing abuses against civilians.
The committee verified 1,426 deaths, including 90 women—most of whom were civilians, while some were former military personnel who had reconciled with the authorities. Although it did not rule out the presence of regime remnants among the dead, the committee believes that most killings occurred outside combat zones or after fighting had ended.
Documenting Violations
The statement held what it described as the “de facto authorities” accountable for crimes against the Alawite community and other Syrian groups, highlighting that these crimes were accompanied by media and societal marginalization under false pretenses of asserting state sovereignty “in a state where the rule of law does not prevail.”
It warned that the scope of such crimes—including killing, kidnapping, arson, arbitrary arrest, looting, and massacres based on identity or belief—may expand to affect other segments of Syrian society.
The statement also pointed to attacks on churches, religious sites, and members of the Druze community, emphasizing that “the perpetrator is the same, and the blood is the same.” It stated that what the Alawite community has suffered has also been inflicted on other sects, and it is innocent civilians who pay the price.
This statement came at a time when tensions had subsided in southern Syria, where Suwayda witnessed battles between local factions and forces affiliated with the Ministries of Defense and Interior, as well as tribal fighters. These clashes involved violations by all parties, Israeli support for Suwayda factions, and the displacement of thousands of Bedouins from Suwayda to Daraa.
International Protection
In his video address, Sheikh Ghazal called on the international community to intervene and provide international protection, including the formation of independent international investigation committees—similar to the demands made by the Druze spiritual leadership.
He stressed that a political solution is the only path to ending the bloodshed and reaching a resolution that satisfies all Syrians.
He also urged increased international pressure on the current authorities to establish a decentralized or federal political system based on a consensual constitution that reflects the aspirations of all Syrian groups, ensures an end to the violence and violations, and guarantees the protection of rights and dignity.
Ghazal further called for the release of thousands of detainees who are forcibly disappeared or whose fate remains unknown, and the prosecution of those responsible for massacres and crimes.
He warned that “without justice, reconciliation and peace cannot be built,” adding that if this destruction continues unchallenged, it will not remain confined to one area but will threaten all of Syria’s geography.
About the Council
In February, a group of Alawites from inside and outside Syria announced the formation of the Supreme Islamic Alawite Council.
According to its founding statement, the Council consists of two main bodies:
-
The Religious Council, led by Sheikh Ghazal Ghazal, includes 130 sheikhs from various Syrian provinces. It focuses on religious issues and aims to safeguard the Alawite community’s religious identity.
-
The Executive Council, which includes departments for politics, public relations, media, economy and relief, law, coordination, and historical documentation. Its goal is to develop a comprehensive plan to manage the community’s affairs during Syria’s transitional phase.
The post Alawite Council in Syria Rejects Coastal Fact-Finding Committee appeared first on Enab Baladi.