A mother and her daughter huddled by the attic window, trying to remain silent as armed men gathered outside their gate. Their panicked breathing was barely controlled as they secretly recorded a video of the moment that would soon shatter their lives.

Earlier that day, on March 7, the Khalil family patriarch reassured them that they were safe. The new Islamist-aligned government forces invading their village of al-Sanobar were only targeting supporters of the recently ousted dictator, Bashar al-Assad.

“We haven’t done anything wrong,” a relative recalled him saying, as they watched fighters storm a neighbor’s home.

Hours later, he was dead. His lifeless body lay sprawled on the patio beside his son’s corpse.

Massacre Broadcasted on Social Media

A masked fighter, reveling in the violence, filmed himself looting the home while chanting “ethnic cleansing, ethnic cleansing”. He then posted the footage to his 28,000 Facebook followers.

Survivors hiding upstairs listened in horror as the raid unfolded, hearing gunshots and screams before silence fell. The Khalil family’s fate was just one of many brutal executions carried out across Alawite communities in Syria’s coastal region.

The Mass Killings in Pine Village

A CNN investigation into al-Sanobar, or “Pine Village”, has uncovered devastating details of sectarian violence.

• Using satellite imagery, verified videos, and firsthand testimonies from seven survivors, CNN documented the execution of villagers, looting, and mass graves.
• At least 84 bodies were identified in videos geolocated to Pine Village, though locals claim more than 200 were killed—most of them men.
• Victims were subjected to summary executions, arson, and sectarian slurs, their bodies later piled into two mass graves.

The attacks have raised urgent questions about whether Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, can protect minority groups under his new regime.

Background: Retaliation Sparks Bloodshed

The violence erupted on March 6, when Assad loyalists ambushed and killed a group of government forces—the bloodiest attack since Assad was toppled last December.

In response, Islamist forces launched reprisal attacks in Latakia and Tartus provinces, targeting Alawite villages they claimed harbored pro-Assad factions.

While the government has since blamed “rogue elements” for the mass killings, President al-Sharaa’s credibility is being tested. He has established a fact-finding committee but has yet to take direct action against the perpetrators.

Survivors Speak: “They Called Us Alawite Dogs”

Eyewitness Accounts of the Massacre

1. A Family Torn Apart

One survivor told CNN that on March 7, fighters stormed her home three times before executing her father and two brothers.

“My father was a 75-year-old retired teacher… they shot him in the head. My brother was shot in the heart.”

Her other brother, injured but pretending to be dead, tried to escape by nightfall. He was shot six times as he limped through the fields.

A gunman then pointed his weapon at her grieving mother and sneered:

“You Alawite dog.”

2. Executions in the Streets

Another local woman described how her husband was dragged from their home and executed alongside several other men in a ditch.

A male survivor recounted trying to reason with the attackers to spare his brother, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

“I did not run away. I confronted them, and they shot at the ground to intimidate me.”
“God’s will saved me. But no one listened when I begged for my brother’s life.”

3. A Rare Act of Mercy

One woman said she was saved by a fighter from Idlib, even though another fighter from Idlib had killed her family.

“The man who killed my family was from Idlib. The man who saved me was also from Idlib.”

Social Media & Open-Source Investigations

Identifying the Killers

CNN analyzed social media footage and identified at least two of the fighters involved:

• The masked militant who filmed himself chanting about ethnic cleansing was identified through facial features, clothing, and Facebook activity.
• Another fighter, a bearded man with red hair, appeared in multiple videos taken at different locations in Pine Village.

CNN attempted to contact the main suspect on Facebook, but no response was received.

Chilling Video Evidence

In one clip, a militant is seen dragging an unarmed man—identified as Yazan Mostafa—to his execution.

In another, a group of fighters sing while standing over piles of bodies:

“We’ve come to you. We’ve come to you with the taste of death.”

CNN verified the exact location using satellite images of pine trees, utility poles, and roads.

The Mass Graves: A Village Buried in Fear

For three days, bodies lay uncollected as fighters blocked survivors from burying their dead.

On March 10, locals were finally allowed to retrieve the bodies, under armed supervision.

Shocking Discoveries

• Videos captured at least 42 bodies wrapped in shrouds dumped along a roadside.
• Another video showed 29 corpses in a shallow grave, with an excavator covering them with soil.
• CNN confirmed the graves’ locations using satellite imagery, matching it against aerial photographs from Airbus and Maxar.

Satellite Evidence

• March 11: Airbus imagery revealed freshly disturbed earth near the village shrine.
• March 14: Maxar imagery showed a 26×16 meter mass grave site.

A survivor whose father and brothers were buried in the mass grave vowed to give them a proper religious burial—if she ever feels safe enough to return.

“Without a doubt, we will bury them with dignity. But we are too afraid to go back.”

A Nation on Edge

As the Syrian government struggles to maintain control, the violence in Pine Village is a grim reminder of deep sectarian wounds that remain unhealed.

With no justice in sight, families continue to flee, leaving behind a homeland drenched in fear, grief, and bloodshed.

CNN continues to reach out to the Syrian government for comment on the Pine Village massacre.

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Jamil Hassan, one of Bashar al-Assad’s most feared enforcers, fled Syria in a rush, leaving behind the marks of his ruthless reign. The 72-year-old, wanted for his role in the torture and killing of civilians, was seen trembling as he exited his apartment building in a small convoy, accompanied by family and security guards, with only a few suitcases. A neighbor and her teenage son watched him leave, realizing that this was a sign of Assad’s fall.

When investigators entered Hassan’s apartment days later, they found the traces of his hasty departure: a half-eaten carrot cake still on the table, clothes scattered across the beds, and wilting flowers on the dining table. Cups and plates were left to dry by the sink, and a framed photo of Hassan with Assad hung in the study, with the words: “Our skies are for us and forbidden to others.”

Hassan, known as “the butcher” by many, was a key figure in the regime. As the head of Air Force Intelligence, he oversaw the brutal torture of detainees at notorious facilities like Mezzeh Prison. He is just one of many senior figures from the Assad regime who have fled their homes in affluent areas of Damascus. Now, these men, once feared for their power and cruelty, are difficult to locate, and some may have already struck deals to avoid justice.

Fleeing the Collapse of the Regime

On Hassan’s street, residents recall the eerie silence as his guards suddenly abandoned their posts. Amr al-Bakri, a filmmaker who lived next door, described the night before the regime’s collapse as a moment when the constant military presence disappeared. “It was the first time I’d seen this post with no lights, no sounds,” he said.

Residents had lived in fear of Hassan’s brutal methods. One neighbor shared that Hassan’s guards once threatened to kill her dog if it didn’t stop barking. Another woman recalled that the guards would inspect the bags of anyone visiting the building. “We knew what he did to the Syrians… but we couldn’t say anything,” said Amr, reflecting on the terror they felt living next to such a powerful and feared figure.

International Warrants and Impunity

Hassan, whose cruelty is documented worldwide, is wanted for war crimes in countries like the US, France, and Germany. He is accused of conspiring to commit heinous acts against civilians, including the torture of detainees. His regime’s violent suppression of protests in 2011 left at least 43 dead, as reported by the US.

Despite these grave charges, Hassan’s sudden departure, along with other key Assad officials, presents a new challenge: where did they go? Some speculate that they have escaped to allied countries or are hiding in Syria, evading justice through political deals.

The Hunt for Assad’s Enforcers

The group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has led efforts to challenge Assad’s regime, has pledged to hunt down these figures. Rebels now occupy Hassan’s former apartment and have posted a note warning others not to enter. When asked about Hassan’s whereabouts, one rebel smiled and remarked, “I don’t know — to Hell.”

Other homes belonging to regime officials, like that of Hussam Luka, the head of the General Security Directorate, have also been abandoned. Rebels found his apartment stripped of valuable items, yet photos of Luka with Assad and various medals were left behind.

Luka, under sanctions by the EU, US, and UK, is notorious for his role in torturing political opponents and orchestrating massacres. He is one of several high-ranking figures with information about the whereabouts of missing American journalist Austin Tice, for whom there are still hopes of accountability.

Lavish Homes, Decadence Amidst War

The homes of Assad’s associates, like Khodr Taher Bin Ali, a businessman with deep ties to the regime, offer a striking contrast to the violence they helped perpetuate. Bin Ali’s lavish home, complete with a gym, indoor swimming pool, and golden safes, was left behind. Inside, luxury items like watches, jewelry, and children’s toys remained, a symbol of the excess enjoyed by the regime’s elite while the Syrian people suffered.

In the neighboring areas, the homes of other regime figures are now being occupied by rebels. Some have transformed these once-grand apartments into military bases. One rebel described how they now sleep on blankets under chandeliers, using camp stoves to cook in kitchens once filled with luxury appliances. At another, a child peeked out from a lavish apartment with an outdoor pool, now home to a family in exile.

The Ongoing Search for Justice

The hunt for Assad’s enforcers will not be easy. While many of these figures have likely escaped, some may still be in Syria, hiding in plain sight. Neighbors suspect Hassan may have sought refuge in Lebanon, where Hezbollah, a key ally of Assad’s regime, is rumored to have assisted in smuggling high-ranking officials across the border.

Despite these challenges, there is a global call for justice. The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression emphasizes that holding these men accountable will require international cooperation and significant resources. The hope is that justice will prevail and that these men will face punishment for their crimes, either in Syria or through international courts.

As one neighbor put it, “We hope he will one day be returned to Syria… to be punished.”

Source

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