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Mihrac Ural, a Syrian of Turkish origin also known as "Ali Kayali" and one of the instigators of the 2013 Banias massacre in Syria, in a photo published by the authorities after his arrest on Oct. 17, 2026. (Credit: SANA)
Add as preferred on Google It is May 2, 2013, in the midst of the Syrian civil war. Mohammad Obeid is in his phone shop in Banias, in the coastal province of Tartus, when he senses something is wrong. No customers come in, and the streets are empty. Outside, he spots a large convoy of armored vehicles, pickup trucks mounted with machine guns, Assad regime intelligence vehicles and buses. Bayda, a predominantly Sunni village on the outskirts of the city, is under attack. Soon, Obeid hears bombing and sees columns of smoke.The videos he filmed that day and shared with L’Orient-Le Jour document the horrors inflicted on the small town: houses set on fire, animals feeding on corpses in the streets. The massacres spread to the neighboring villages of Ras al-Nabeh and Basateen, around Banias. The highly revered Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that 458... You have reached your article limitStay informed about a Middle East in crisis.Subscribe for $0.5/month for the first 3 months. Subscribe now Log in This article is only available to L’Orient Today subscribers. Subscribe now Log in Create a free account to continue reading this article. You’ll also receive The Morning Brief, our must-read daily digest of Middle East news. Opt out anytime Email Address Password Email Address Password I would like to receive special offers from L'Orient Today as well as selections of the best articles. Register By creating an account, you agree to the terms and conditions of use and our privacy policy. Register Or register with: Facebook
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