The United States and European Union came to polar opposite conclusions over the recent massacres of Alawites, Christians, and other Syrian minorities by government forces.
On Thursday, anti-government forces rose up in Syria’s coastal provinces, killing dozens of government soldiers and capturing equipment. Syrian President Abu Mohammad al Julani sent thousands of troops to the area in response, and they brutally cracked down on the opposition. The wrath of the militants quickly spread to the Alawite civilians, a minority Shiite offshoot sect.
Videos posted by the militants on social media showed them torturing and executing numerous unarmed civilians. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least 830 civilians killed by government forces from March 6-8. The total is likely much higher, with some local sources putting the number of dead at nearly 2,000.
The majority of civilians killed were Alawites, though those targeted also included Christians. Thousands of Alawite and Christian civilians fled the area, with many seeking refuge at the Russian Khmeimim Air Base.
Alawites are duly hated by Sunni Islamists as heretics and being the faith of former President Bashar Assad.
The U.S. released a statement strongly condemning the actions of the government on Sunday.
“The United States condemns the radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis, that murdered people in western Syria in recent days. The United States stands with Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities, and offers its condolences to the victims and their families. Syria’s interim authorities must hold the perpetrators of these massacres against Syria’s minority communities accountable,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.
Israel, the only major power that has taken action against the Syrian government, strongly condemned the violence as well.
“[Abu Mohammed] al-Julani switched his robe for a suit and presented a moderate face,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. “Now he’s taken off the mask and exposed his true face: A jihadist terrorist of the al-Qaeda school who is committing horrifying acts against a civilian population.”
The European Union took the opposite approach, instead condemning the anti-government partisans, allegedly pro-Assad loyalists, even though the mass killings were the doing of the government.
“The European Union strongly condemns the recent attacks, reportedly by pro-Assad elements, on interim government forces in the coastal areas of Syria and all violence against civilians,” the EU diplomatic service said in a statement on March 8, long after the news of the massacres emerged.
“The EU also calls on all external actors to fully respect the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria. The EU condemns any attempts to undermine stability and the prospects for a lasting peaceful transition, inclusive and respectful of all Syrians in their diversity,” it added.
The statement was met with heavy backlash online.
The German Foreign Office struck a middle ground, condemning the violence overall while failing to cast blame.
“We are shocked by the numerous victims in the western regions of Syria. We call on all sides to seek for peaceful solutions, national unity, inclusive political dialogue and transitional justice – to overcome the spiral of violence and hatred,” it said in a statement.
Many also saw the massacres as a vindication of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who warned throughout the Syrian Civil War on what could happen if Assad were toppled.
Assad was overthrown on Dec. 8 after a lightning offensive by Hayat Tahrir al Sham, an al Qaeda offshoot that rebranded in 2017. Julani, the head of the group and now head of the government, formerly served as head of al Qaeda’s Syria branch and an ISIS lieutenant. He has attempted to portray himself as a moderate since taking power, an image that is likely to be heavily damaged after the massacres.
The EU has sought warmer relations with Syria after the fall of Assad, eschewing fears that Julani and HTS only rebranded to win international support. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced in January that the body was looking to ease sanctions on Syria. Several EU and European leaders have met with Syrian officials in recent months and looked to soften their image.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking after a meeting on Syria’s future in Riyadh in January, said the only sanctions that should remain in place are those against “Assad’s henchmen who committed serious crimes,” while making no mention of the crimes of Julani and the HTS-led government.
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Julani has been able to largely maintain an uneasy peace in areas under his control since taking power. The massacres of the past few days are likely to upend this track record.
The Assad family ruled Syria with an iron fist for half a century, but ruled a secular state with protection given to minorities such as the Christians and Alawites — two of their main bases of support. The Assads’ primary foes throughout their rule were Islamist forces looking to establish an Islamic state. The Islamist HTS was ultimately successful in toppling Assad in December after nearly 13 years of civil war.
