Baniyas massacre

"The Baniyas massacre" apparently occurred on May 3, 2013 in the coastal city of Baniyas/Banias in Syria's Tartous province. This massacre is closely related to and somewhat confused with the previous day’s Al-Bayda Massacre just south of there. Of note is that both are Sunni majority (but not so far pro-rebel) in an Alawi-majority province. The killings were reportedly in the Ras al-Nabe' / Al-Nabi' Quarter.

Initial death tolls claimed around 70 civilians killed, but eventually the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) settled on "145 civilians (34 children, 40 women, 71 men) killed in the Banias massacre." There are horrible photos and videos proving extremely violent deaths by men, women, and numerous children, as small as they come.

But the exact events and even allegations seem a bit murky and worthy of some sorting out. To start with, as usual this will happen on the discussion page.