A Syrian government committee has confirmed that over 1,400 people, mostly Alawite civilians, were killed during sectarian violence in the country’s coastal region in March.

The investigation identified 298 suspects in serious crimes including murder, torture, and looting, with 37 arrests made so far.

While government forces were accused of summary executions, the report found no evidence the military leadership ordered attacks on the Alawite community, Al-Jazeera has reported.

The findings raise concerns about the new government’s ability to control sectarian tensions following the December ousting of former president Bashar al-Assad.

Written by B.C. Begley