Fears of sectarian revenge mounting in Syrian coast

  Fears of sectarian revenge have raised among people of rebel-held areas in Latakia province, especially the Sunni villages like Slama, al-Heffa and other villages with Turkman minorities.

 Assad's army has taken full control on all rebel-held areas in Latakia, activists told Zaman Alwasl after fierce battles between Free Syrian Army and Assad forces for almost one month. Rebels who were positioned in remote enclaves in Latakia’s mountains launched the “battle for the liberation of the Syrian coast”,  they quickly captured a dozen Alawite villages near Qordaha, home town of Assad’s later father and long-time president Hafez al-Assad what made the Assad air forces hit the rebels, day and night, by tons of explosive barrels.

 Rebels blamed the lack of ammunition that pushed them to step back, even the alleged supply of the Joint chiefs of Staff was fabricated. ''For that we lost our progress,'' rebel leader told Zaman Alwasl.

 People of the embattled villages are waiting the imminent US strike with sense of scare, the consequences will be harmful for them, days ago, pro-Assad facebook page called to kill all anti-Assad citizens in the coastal cities, in hint to Sunni who are the native residents of Latakia, Jablah and Tartous.

Syria's conflict began in March 2011 largely as peaceful protests against Assad's rule. It escalated into a civil war after opposition supporters took up arms to fight a brutal government crackdown on dissent.

More than 200,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to Syrian Human rights NGO's and 1.7 million Syrians, including one million children, have been forced to flee to neighboring countries, the United Nations says.