LATAKIA, Syria (Reuters) -Syrian safety forces used gunfire on Tuesday to interrupt up two rival teams of demonstrators within the coastal city of Latakia, heartland of the nation’s Alawite minority, witnesses and officers mentioned.
Syria has been rocked by a number of episodes of sectarian violence since longtime chief Bashar al-Assad, who hails from the Muslim Alawite minority, was ousted by a insurgent offensive final 12 months and changed by a Sunni-led authorities.
Witnesses mentioned lots of of Alawite protesters had gathered to demand a decentralised political system in Syria and the discharge of males they are saying have been unjustly detained by the nation’s new authorities. Supporters of the federal government then gathered and started shouting insults on the Alawites.
About an hour into the Alawites’ rally, gunshots have been heard in Agriculture Sq., considered one of two city squares the place the protesters had gathered, in accordance with two witnesses and movies verified by Reuters. One of many verified movies confirmed a person mendacity immobile on the bottom with a wound to the top.
There was no rapid official phrase on casualties.
Noureddine el-Brimo, the top of media relations in Latakia province, advised Reuters safety forces had fired into the air to disperse the rival protesters, and added that unknown assailants had additionally fired on civilians and on the safety forces.
He gave no additional particulars however witnesses mentioned each protests had damaged up by the afternoon.
‘THERE’S NO MORE SECURITY’
The rally had been known as for by the top of the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council, Ghazal Ghazal, on Monday. He urged Alawites to protest peacefully.
“We demand to dwell in safety, to go to highschool safely with out kidnapping. This was the one place we used to really feel safety. Now there is no extra safety and we’re uncovered to kidnapping and worry,” mentioned Leen, who attended the protest however declined to present her final identify out of safety issues.
Practically 1,500 Alawites have been killed by government-linked forces in March after Assad loyalists ambushed state safety. Reuters reported that dozens of Alawite girls have been later kidnapped, although authorities deny they have been kidnapped.
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former militant Islamist, has vowed to rule for all Syrians however the nation’s practically 14-year civil conflict and the bouts of violence over the past 12 months have prompted fears of additional instability.
(Reporting by Karam al-Masri, Kinda Makieh and Marine Delrue; Writing by Maya Gebeily; Modifying by Gareth Jones)