Syrian Alawites horrified by rising death toll
Most Alawites remain steadfast in their support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but many are quietly horrified at the high number of Alawite men dying in combat.
TARTUS, Syria — There are no official statistics regarding the number of Alawites who have lost their lives since the peaceful protests in Syria turned into an armed sectarian conflict in many areas of the country. Human rights organizations are not counting the victims in Syria on a sectarian basis.
However, in statistics published July 12, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced that 65,803 people from the ranks of the Syrian regime forces and armed groups loyal to it have died. It is likely that the vast majority of the dead are Alawites, especially among the militias fighting alongside regime forces.
