Yasser al-Farhan, spokesman for the investigative committee tasked with probing days of clashes and revenge attacks in Syria's coastal region that killed hundreds of civilians, said today that nearly 100 witnesses had been heard and dozens of statements from civilians and the military had been obtained.
"There are areas of the country where crimes have occurred but some witnesses and residents are afraid to communicate with the committee," al-Farhan told a news conference. He declined to provide details of the committee's findings so far.
The clashes erupted after pro-Assad loyalists attacked a security patrol in the coastal city of Latakia, leading to revenge killings targeting the minority Alawite community.
The two-day violence dealt a major blow to Damascus' efforts to improve its image and persuade Europe and the US to lift economic sanctions on Syria.
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