Ankara: The US-based Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF) released a statement Wednesday condemning a “misinformation campaign” regarding violent incidents in coastal areas of Syria. “The Syrian Emergency Task Force expresses deep concern over the ongoing disinformation campaign aimed at fueling sectarian tensions in Syria through false claims of systematic targeting of religious minorities-including Alawites and Druze-by the Syrian government,” it said on X.
According to Anadolu Agency, the SETF emphasized that the allegations against the Syrian government are baseless, noting that “field sources and religious leaders from various Syrian communities have confirmed that no organized campaigns of sectarian violence were conducted by the government.” The violations were instead carried out by undisciplined armed groups, while security forces played a key role in safeguarding civilians and restoring order amid efforts by remnants of the Assad regime “to incite chaos and sectarian strife,” the SETF highlighted.
The organization stated that reports of allegations against the Syrian government, fueled by groups supporting the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime and some media channels, distort the facts. Such reports, according to the SETF, prevent the restoration of security and stability in the country. The “SETF urges all parties to exercise restraint, reject sectarian incitement and calls on media and the international community to verify information, to avoid misleading narratives that serve dubious agendas,” it said. Expressing support for efforts to ensure justice and security in the country, the SETF condemned all forms of violence and disinformation.
The situation escalated when at least 11 security officers were killed in an attack by ousted regime elements in the coastal town of Jableh near the city of Latakia on March 6. Following the attack, Syrian security forces launched a large-scale operation in the region. Hundreds of people from both sides were killed in the violent clashes, while many civilians also lost their lives. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa called for the unity and solidarity of the country and warned the security forces about the safety of civilians. In response, the Syrian government established an investigation committee to determine possible violations by the security forces and to arrest those responsible. Authorities announced that the operations of the security forces in the coastal region ended on March 10.