Syria's fragile transition from decades of Assad family brutal rule has been greatly shaken with an outburst of sectarian retribution and killings, posing a serious challenge to the new leadership led by Ahmad Sharaa.

The number of civilians killed in the recent wave of violence in Syria has risen to 1,383, according to a human rights watchdog. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had documented three new massacres.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said her country will ease sanctions on Syria and provide 84 million dollars (59 million U.S. dollars) in new funding for humanitarian assistance. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said no fewer than 1,