DAMASCUS, March 27 – As sectarian violence escalates in Syria, masked gunmen stormed the homes of Alawite families in the capital’s al-Qadam neighborhood on March 6, abducting at least 25 unarmed men, witnesses told Reuters.
The targeted individuals, including a retired teacher, an engineering student, and a mechanic, were taken amid a wave of revenge killings in Syria’s coastal regions, where an Alawite insurgency loyal to ousted leader Bashar al-Assad had sparked deadly reprisals.
Eight of the abducted men were later found dead, while the fate of the others remains unknown. Families searching for missing relatives have faced silence from authorities, with some denied access to hospital morgues where they believe the bodies are held.
Some of the armed men who carried out the raids identified themselves as members of the General Security Service (GSS), a state agency formed from former rebel factions. A spokesperson for the interior ministry denied targeting Alawites but did not explain why unarmed men were taken.
Human Rights Watch researcher Hiba Zayadin called for an independent investigation, warning that impunity could fuel further bloodshed. Meanwhile, terrified Alawite residents of al-Qadam are fleeing their homes, fearing more abductions and executions in a conflict that shows no signs of abating.