ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A French-Syrian group has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) accusing Syria’s interim president of being responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, according to a media report.
The Franco-Alawite Collective, which is composed of Alawites, Druze, Kurds, Christians, and Sunnis, filed the complaint against interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Franceinfo reported on Friday. They accuse him of orchestrating massacres in March and May that left between 1,700 and 2,000 people dead.
In March, violence erupted in Alawite-majority areas after armed groups, many loyal to ousted president Bashar al-Assad, launched attacks on forces allied with the government, prompting Damascus to respond with force. Around 1,500 people, mainly Alawite civilians, were killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which said most of the casualties were caused by government or government-affiliated forces. Amnesty International said the mass killings must be investigated as a “war crime.”
In April and May, deadly clashes broke out between government forces and Druze fighters.
The collective claims the deaths qualify as genocide or crimes against humanity and say they have video evidence to support their accusations.
“This complaint is in the name of the Syrian people,” said Lina Peron, a member of the collective’s legal committee, Franceinfo reported.
The complaint was submitted to the ICC prosecutor’s office, which will decide whether to open a formal investigation.
Facing international criticism, Sharaa, who led the Islamist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militia that spearheaded the offensive to topple dictator Bashar al-Assad, ordered an investigation into violence against minorities.
Sharaa’s interim government has faced repeated criticism for its treatment of minority groups, with many Syrians and foreign powers fearing it will impose strict religious rule, posing a threat to Kurds, Druze, Christians, and Alawites. The violence heightened concerns over the future of these populations.
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