US, UN Officials Condemn Syrian Massacre in Latakia as Human Rights Expert Says Toll Could Go Much Higher

JERUSALEM, Israel – United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk is calling for an investigation into what he called "extremely disturbing" reports of mass killings in Syria's Latakia Province, home to minority Alawites, Christians, and others who are not part of the Sunni majority in Syria. Stories have emerged of entire families being murdered in their homes, with civilian casualties comprising the majority of the death toll.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the killings by what he called "radical Islamic terrorists" and said the U.S "stands with ethnic minorities, including Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities."

Charmaine Hedding, president of the Shai Fund, has worked for years on behalf of persecuted minorities in the Middle East and specializes in helping people at risk in complex emergencies, including refugees.

Hedding tells CBN News that her contacts on the ground in Syria report a much higher number of atrocities than the 800 to 1,000 reported in the major media.

To watch our interview with Charmaine Hedding, click on the video above.

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