TEL AVIV, March 10. /TASS/. The European Union should take a clearer position on the killings of Alawites and Christians in Syria and "draw conclusions" from the recent events in the Arab republic, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told Luxemburg Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel.
"I stressed the dangers of the Al-Jolani regime, that was on display in the massacre of civilians, Alawites and Christians, this weekend," he wrote on X, referring to the nickname of the Syrian President for the transitional period Ahmed al-Sharaa. "Europe must raise its voice against these atrocities and draw conclusions!"
Earlier, the Israeli TV channel i24 News reported that the Alawite community leaders sent a letter to the Israeli government asking it for military assistance due to the worsening situation in Syria. Prior to this, Israel had repeatedly expressed support for Syria's ethnic and religious minorities and its intention to help them with protection.
On March 6, clashes broke out in the provinces of Latakia, Tartus and Homs between security forces subordinate to the new Syrian authorities and supporters of ex-President Bashar al-Assad. The most violent shootings took place in the city of Jableh, where the Alawites, the religious minority, to which the Assad family belongs, live. The government has deployed the army and armored vehicles to these provinces, and imposed curfews in the main cities. On March 8, the Syrian transitional government sent additional forces to the coastal areas to restore security there and suppress the remaining resistance from the armed supporters of the former president.
Earlier, Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said that Moscow and Washington requested that the UN Security Council hold closed consultations on the situation in Syria. Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that such consultations should be held as soon as possible. He said the Kremlin was seriously concerned about violence in Syria.