Tartous, May 3 (SANA) Hundreds of residents from the city of Banias and its countryside in Tartous province gathered on the seaside corniche on Saturday evening to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the martyrs of the massacres committed by the deposed regime in the villages of al-Bayda, Ras al-Nabaa, al-Basateen, and al-Marqub, and to demand accountability for those responsible.
Participants held photographs of their relatives who were martyred in the massacres, alongside banners calling for the prosecution and accountability of all perpetrators. They stressed the importance of advancing the path of transitional justice to achieve justice for victims and their families.
The gathering was accompanied by a symbolic sailing of boats as a sign of solidarity with victims’ families.
In statements to SANA’s correspondent, Asmaa al-Shaghri, a resident of al-Bayda village and sister of one of the martyrs , called for holding those responsible accountable and ensuring they receive just punishment, noting that the grief of mothers and families will not subside until justice is served.
Jamila Namoura, who lost four relatives in the massacre, said she was participating in the vigil to demand justice, adding that she hopes to at least know the burial locations of her relatives.
Khadija Abdul Qader Al-Zeer, the mother of one of the martyrs , said that she joined the gathering to call for accountability, saying: “They detained and killed our sons, and they must face the punishment they deserve.”
The massacres of al-Bayda, Ras al-Nabaa, al-Marqub, and al-Basateen, committed in Banias in May 2013, remain deeply etched in Syrian memory as one of the most brutal episodes, leaving hundreds of victims, including women, children, and the elderly.
MHD
