Without transitional justice, Syria will continue to bleed

Concocted figures

Alawite "activists" claim that up to 50,000 civilians had been killed in the past month. Civilians have been murdered—potentially more than a thousand in the worst-case scenario—I do not dispute that.

Still, claims of 50,000 deaths and 30,000 women taken captive from the coast to Idlib, with no evidence, are baseless and seem to be purposely concocted by remnants of the Assad regime to foment chaos and sectarianism at the behest of Iran, which is still reeling from its strategic defeat in Syria.

Any killing or persecution of civilians should be outright condemned, and the perpetrators must be prosecuted, whether they are former supporters of the regime or members of the new security forces. But what is most needed at this critical juncture is a dialogue with the Alawite community, where grievances can be aired and blunt discussions can be had.

In the immediate aftermath of the regime's fall, I visited the coastal city of Tarus and spoke to Alawites there. Many were angry that their so-called leader had abandoned them, saying they felt used and abused. "He fought in our name, got our sons killed, and fled," one person told me.

Missed opportunity

It was the perfect opportunity to hold a national dialogue to air these critical grievances and hold frank discussions. Looking back, I wish someone had the foresight to seize that moment, which I fear has possibly slipped away.

The Jableh ambush has sparked a vicious cycle of killings and reprisals. To save the situation, Syria's new government should act fast to hold an honest and open dialogue with civil society to close the dark chapter on the Assad era. 

But this chapter cannot be closed without accountability for the hundreds of thousands of victims killed by both Assad regimes. Without transitional justice, Syria will continue to bleed. If past trauma is not addressed, old wounds will continue to fester, and Syria will never heal.