| Maan massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Syrian Civil War | |
  | |
| Location | Ma'an, Hama Governorate, Syria |
| Date | 9 February 2014 |
| Target | Alawite population |
Attack type | Massacre |
| Deaths | 21–62 |
| Perpetrators |  Jund al-Aqsa  Ahrar ash-Sham Al-Nusra Front (Per Ba'athist Syria, denied by Ahrar al-Sham) |
The Maan massacre was a reported massacre of Alawites in the village of Ma'an, Syria on 9 February 2014.
On 9 February 2014, rebels of the Jund al-Aqsa group attacked and captured the Alawite village of Maan, in Hama province, killing 21 civilians as well as 20 pro-government militiamen according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). [1] SOHR said that 14 of them were women. [2]
The Syrian government gave a much higher death toll, initially claiming 42 civilians were killed [2] and later 60, most of them women, children and the elderly. [3] The government blamed Nusra Front; however, rival rebel group Ahrar al-Sham said that its fighters collaborated with another group to kill around 50 pro-government fighters in the village and denied that the Nusra Front was involved. [4]
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon later expressed great shock at the "dozens" reported dead and demanded that "perpetrators of this massacre" be brought to justice. [5] [6]
The massacre caused demonstrations against Al Qaeda, Al Nusra Front, and the ruling Justice and Development Party by the Alawite community in Hatay, Mersin, Istanbul and other Turkish cities. [7]
On 17 February 2014, the Syrian Army recaptured Maan "after shelling and fighting.". [2]
