Hmeimim, Syria: Some Syrians who had sought refuge at Russia’s Hmeimim air base following a surge in sectarian violence are beginning to return to their devastated villages. However, many remain inside the base, still fearing for their lives.
Thousands sought shelter at the Russian-controlled base after violence erupted in Syria’s coastal region last week. The attacks, which primarily targeted Alawite towns and villages, resulted in hundreds of deaths and mass displacement.
Returning Amid Uncertainty
Rana Boushieh, 34, fled her home in the Alawite village of al-Sanobar after being awakened by gunfire. Along with her family and other residents, she escaped to Hmeimim, located about 11 kilometers (seven miles) away. Encouraged by her brother’s assurances that the situation had stabilized and escorted by government security forces, she returned home on Thursday. However, she acknowledged the lingering danger.
“Honestly, there is definitely fear, but God willing, things will get better, God willing,” Boushieh said.
The violence escalated last week after Syria’s Sunni Islamist-led government reported that its security forces were attacked by militants loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad, an Alawite whose family hails from the coastal region. The ensuing bloodshed marked the deadliest targeting of Alawites since Assad’s ousting in December, which ended his 14-year rule. Interim President Ahmed Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda leader who severed ties with the group in 2016, vowed to hold those responsible accountable, including any of his own allies.
Some Alawite families have fled to neighboring Lebanon to escape the hostilities.
Deserted Villages and Signs of Violence
During a government-supervised visit to the affected region on Thursday, Reuters journalists observed extensive destruction, with many homes and shops torched and looted. Entire villages appeared abandoned. In al-Sanobar, one returning resident, who chose to remain anonymous for security reasons, led journalists to a house where he said he had discovered the bodies of his brother and nephew.
Graffiti bearing the name of a Sunni Arab militia aligned with the government was visible on several walls, with slogans such as, “You brought this upon yourselves.”
Calls for Protection and Russian Involvement
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reported on Thursday that approximately 9,000 people had sought refuge at Hmeimim, a base established in 2015 when Moscow intervened in the Syrian war in support of Assad. With Assad no longer in power, Russia is attempting to establish ties with the new Syrian leadership, while the future of its military installations in Syria, including the naval base at Tartous, remains uncertain.
Ahmed Abdel Rahman, a Syrian government security official, estimated that around 1,500 people were sheltering at the air base. “I visited the base in coordination with our Russian friends,” he said, adding that security forces had been attacked by remnants of Assad’s loyalists. He blamed the subsequent chaos on “unruly groups and gangs” that entered the region, prompting civilians to flee.
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“We are currently working to secure the area from remnants of the former regime and vandalizing gangs in order to ensure the families’ safe departure to their homes and villages,” he stated.
Outside Hmeimim, government security forces were stationed in large numbers, while a Russian warplane patrolled overhead. One family was seen leaving the base on the back of a flatbed truck.
Desperate Plea for International Intervention
Falak Issa, a 60-year-old woman returning to her village of al-Qalaya, pleaded for international intervention to protect civilians, particularly the Alawite community.
“What happened is all kinds of shells, bombs, machine guns that you can think of, all kinds of weapons. We were terrified, truly terrified in every sense of the word,” she said.
As Syria continues to grapple with sectarian tensions and a fragile security situation, those returning home face an uncertain future, while others remain within the relative safety of the Russian air base.
