fighting on the coast needs documentation- the sjac weekly update
TRANSCRIPT
8/13/13 9:51 AMFighting on the Coast Needs Documentation- The SJAC Weekly Update
Page 1 of 2http://us6.campaign-archive1.com/?u=60569b6d523ba80f46a288a64&id=58c93b18a9&e=d22ed61cbd
The SJAC Weekly Update- August 13, 2013
Fighting on the Coast Needs
Documentation
The conflict in Syria took
another turn last week when
the country’s coastal region
witnessed the outbreak of
intense fighting between
rebels and government
forces. Not only do the
clashes portend increasing
violence in what had been a
comparatively stable region, but it also highlights an area whe re
documentation is markedly poor.
Fighting in the coastal region of Latakia began when a rebel
offensive pushed into the largely government-loyal area previously
held firmly by regime forces. The rebe l attacks were followed by
government counterattacks that inclu ded airstrikes and artillery
bombardment. The government’s official news
service reported yesterday that it “restored security” to three
villages in the region, but fighting continues as rebels and pro-
government forces battle for territorial control.
The rebel offensive into the predominantly Alawite areas has also
been met with unverified reports of rebel violations. The Lebanese
paper As-Safir reported that Islamist fighters captured 200 Alawite
men and women, whose fates remain unknown. Britain’s
Telegraph newspaper quoted an Alawite religious leader who said,
“We are still finding people who were killed in their homes, and
bodies left in bushes.”
Such reports also fuel expectations about retributional violence and
the prospect of other violations against Alawites. In one video (in
Arabic), FSA rebels speak with an elderly Alawite man, asking him
what he expects Alawite fighters would do to a captured FSA
fighter. The man says they would probably torture or kill him. The
fighters respond that, even though they are Sunni, they will not hurt
Free News of the
Wor ld Interviews
SJAC Executive
Director
Earlier this month, Free News
of the World , a site specializingin reporting on conflict zones,interviewed SJAC Executive
Director Mohammad Al-Abdallah. The interview
touches upon the SJAC'soperations as well as
reflections on the currenthuman rights climate in Syria.
READ IT HERE.
Visit the SJAC's
Resources Page
The SJAC is constantly addingresources to its website on
transitional justice anddocumentation. Visit thewebsite and browse our
reports.
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8/13/13 9:51 AMFighting on the Coast Needs Documentation- The SJAC Weekly Update
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captured Alawites. The video can be viewed both as a window into
Alawite fears of rebel violence as well as an example of the FSA’s
increasing messaging efforts to demonstrate their respect for
human rights. KEEP READING. (Image: Image capture from Youtube
video.)
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The SJAC is an independent, non-political, Syrian-led, and multi-laterally supported organization that serves as acoordinating body for all actors promoting transitional justice and accountability for Syria. The SJAC providesvetted, accurate data on human rights violations occurring on all sides of the conflict in Syria. The SJAC expertiseand data is used in the transitional justice process for Syria.
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