Syrian opposition websites republished a translation of an article published yesterday by the Daily Telegraph which claims that Bashar al-Assad's militias are "cleansing" towns and villages of their Sunni Muslim inhabitants across the Syrian province of Homs, refugee families and residents have told The Daily Telegraph.
The "Shabiha", a loyalist militia drawn largely from the Syrian president's Alawite sect, is systematically looting and then destroying the homes of any Sunnis who have fled the province, a key battleground in the country's civil war, the Telegraph said.
The Syrian opposition is deeply concerned about Assad’s plans are to “push out all the Sunnis," from the areas they get hold of in the city.
After each campaign, howver, Alawite civilians and loyalist paramilitaries from the National Defence Force have stormed the newly recaptured towns and villages, looting Sunni homes and often setting them on fire, with the apparent aim of ensuring that the owners have nothing left to return to, the UK-based newspaper added.
Commenting on the Telegraph story, an activist who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Syrian Observer that the regime is working hard to evacuate the city of Homs from Sunnis.
“Even armed fighters can settle their situations if they leave the city, and can easily get a passport it they leave the country immediately,” the activist said.
"In the meantime, the regime is holding negotiations with the Sunni villages to leave the village or bear the consequences,” the activist added.
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