When Syrian Government’s Troops and Shabiha attacked Bayida village of Banyas and killed 244 residents, cut children legs, the residents fled to the neighboring fields, no one think to resort to the neighboring Alwite villages, the same when the famous massacre of Ras Alnaaba neighborhood of Banyas, where more than 227 residents killed and the families fled.
In the other side,Sunday down 4/8/2013(26 Ramadan),whileLattakia countryside battles intensified, Syrian Islamic Liberation Front and Free Syrian Army declaredstarting battles to liberate Syrian Army’s observatories : Anbatah, Tala, Baroda, Estrba, and Kafria, all this towns contains rocket launching stations.
Most youth in these villages if not all of them recruits in what’s known as National Defense Army and People’s Committees, which are hands to organize Shabiha work, they all armed fighters.
During clashes and continuous shelling from both sides, many women and children fled in the near villages of this observatories towards Latakia governorate, while others couldn’t cause of the intensification of battles.
Specifically in the near villages, where FSA existed areas, which were under fires, they couldn’t find resort only their neighbors in the near villages.
Tens of fleeing women and children from clashes from the following Alwite villages: down and upper Kafira, Bait Shaabor, Balotah, resorted to WadiShikhan and Dawrine Sunni villages.
Clear example of national unity:
Om Ibrahim and elder lady from WadiShikhan village, his big son Ibrahim who was working in KSA arrested by Security forces when he came to visit his family two years ago, then he killed under torture, her husband Abo Ibrahim Trad fired from his job cause of report from his Alwit friend, there other sons joined FSA, and are from there:
Om Ibrahim received in her house the biggest number of displaced Alwite women and their children, she said literally: “Oh my mother they hurt the heart, come and see them”
The fleeing Alwite didn’t resort randomly, they went to specific people know them before revolution, or by their friends.
According to SNHR documentation: There are no family in Lattakia countryside didn’t have victim , detainee, or at least there house burned or destroyed cause of continuous shelling on their villages from year and half ago, but they kept their national unity.
Must be mentioned that during the regime attack on Hifa in August 2012, tens of Sunni families resorted to Mziraa and Manjila and RodoAlwite villages.
This video shows a dialogue between an Alawite elder and the opposition fighter AbuFiras in the Astarba village located near the Salma area of Lattakia province after opposition forces managed to take its control. The old man is a resident of Ein Al-Jouzeh village and he was in Astarba at the moment it was taken under control by opposition fighters. The date is 6th of August 2013.