ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Syrian security forces on Sunday shot at Alawite protesters calling for federalism in the coastal province of Latakia, injuring dozens, reported a war monitor. State media claimed that some members of the security forces were also wounded.
The demonstrations followed a call by Ghazal Ghazal, a leader of the country’s Alawite community, a day earlier, as well as a deadly attack on an Alawite mosque on Friday.
“In a dangerous development, dozens of protesters were injured in the cities of Latakia and Jableh after being attacked with live gunfire and bladed weapons by General Security forces [police] and supporters of the transitional authority,” said the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) on Sunday, publishing footage purportedly showing members of the security forces shooting at demonstrators.
It added that some of the injuries are serious.
The state-owned al-Ikhbariya TV said the protests were in reaction to the Friday blast at the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs province. It also confirmed the deployment of security forces to the area.
The broadcaster also reported attacks on members of the security forces in Latakia while they were “protecting” the protesters.
Abdul Aziz al-Ahmed, head of Internal Security in Latakia province, was cited in an interior ministry statement as claiming the presence of “masked and armed elements” of armed groups Damascus labels as terrorists. He added that some members of the security forces were injured and their vehicles were damaged.
In his call for protests, Ghazal said they do not want a civil war but “political federalism.