Hundreds can be seen at the base, surrounded by what’s thought to be a perimeter of armoured vehicle (Image: Maxar via The War Zone)
New satellite images seemingly show hundreds of refugees seeking shelter at a Russian air base in . The images from Maxar Technologies, obtained by defence news site , show scores of people and shelters surrounded by what’s believed to be a perimeter of armoured vehicles at the Khmeimim Air Base on ’s Mediterranean coast.
The outlet reports that members of the Alawite minority began flocking to the Russian base after hundreds of people were reportedly executed by Syrian security forces. Fighting broke out last week after forces loyal to ousted attacked Syrian government troops. This led to reported revenge killings of Alawite people, a sect to which Assad belongs.
Hundreds of vehicles on the road outside the base (Image: Maxar via The War Zone)
A war monitoring group said the violence is some of the deadliest since ’s conflict started 14 years ago.
Hundreds are now believed to be sheltering in the small commercial terminal of the Khmeimim Air Base in Latakia province, a former stronghold of .
The satellite images shared by The War Zone were taken on Monday and show hundreds of vehicles on the road leading up to the terminal.
On Monday, the Syrian defence ministry said the operation against the loyalists had finished.
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, a monitoring group said more than 1,500 people have been killed since Thursday, .
Syrian leader Ahmed al Sharaa called for peace on Sunday, saying: “We have to preserve national unity and domestic peace, we can live together.”
The regime collapsed in December, and he fled to Moscow.
has been since the ousting of Assad but continues to operate the Khmeimim Air Base.
On Monday, the UK urged Syria’s interim government to guarantee the safety of all Syrians following “horrific” reports of the large numbers of civilian deaths.