The Committee for Civil Peace was established by Syria's new government to foster tranquility in a nation ravaged by a 14-year civil war. However, it has instead fueled resentment among citizens who supported the uprising against former dictator Bashar al-Assad. Critics accuse the committee of neglecting accountability for those who committed crimes under Assad’s rule. The situation worsened when the committee released numerous former regime soldiers, igniting public fury during Eid al-Adha. Activists call for justice and protests, feeling betrayed by the committee's actions and its impact on transitional justice for war crimes committed in Syria.
Public outrage exploded during the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha in early June when the committee released dozens of former regime soldiers, saying they were not implicated in any crimes. Now critics are calling for protests.
Critics are expressing shock and disillusionment, stating, 'What everyone has been waiting for since Assad's fall is to see the punishment of those who committed war crimes, to see transitional justice take place.'
The peace committee was formed in the wake of large-scale killings of minority Alawites, the sect to which Mr. al-Assad belongs, which underlines the ongoing tensions.
After a foiled counterinsurgency in March by former regime soldiers, armed government supporters killed hundreds of Alawite civilians, according to human rights groups, highlighting the violent tensions.
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