Why Is New Syrian Regime Hunting Down And Killing Alawites Amid Escalating Sectarian Violence In Country?

With Bashar al-Assad's departure, Syria's Alawite community faces an uncertain future. Once empowered under his regime, many Alawites are now being targeted by rebel factions and displaced Sunni groups who suffered during Assad's rule.

Retaliatory attacks have already claimed over 1,000 lives, including hundreds of Alawites, as the balance of power in Syria shifts violently. This wave of violence is among the deadliest since the Syrian conflict began 14 years ago.

Photo Credit: AP/PTI

According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), 745 civilians-most of whom were shot at close range-are among the dead.

Additionally, 125 members of the government's security forces and 148 militants associated with Assad-linked armed groups have also been killed. The fighting has left large parts of Latakia without electricity and access to clean drinking water.

SOHR further reported that Syrian security forces carried out at least 162 summary executions of Alawites in Latakia province, a stronghold of Assad, who himself belonged to the sect. Syria's Interior Ministry acknowledged "isolated violations" along the coast and pledged to take action.

The clashes, which broke out on Thursday, pose a major challenge to Syria's new rulers, who seized power three months ago following Assad's removal. The new administration has claimed that it was responding to attacks by remnants of Assad's forces and has downplayed the killings as isolated incidents.

Who Are The Alawites?

The Alawites are a religious minority in Syria, making up approximately 12 per cent of the population. While their faith originates from Shia Islam, they have distinct beliefs and practices. The Alawite community has historically been concentrated in Syria's coastal regions, particularly in Latakia and Tartus provinces.

The Assad family, which ruled Syria for over five decades until December 2024, belonged to the Alawite sect. Under their leadership, Alawites occupied key positions in the military and government, leading to perceptions of preferential treatment.

Why Are They Being Targeted?

Following Assad's ousting, armed Sunni factions, reportedly aligned with the new government, began carrying out revenge attacks against Alawites, further exacerbating Syria's sectarian tensions. This escalation poses a challenge to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the hardline Sunni faction that played a pivotal role in Assad's removal.

For decades, Alawites were a crucial pillar of Assad's support base. Now, they are facing deadly reprisals. Eyewitnesses have described harrowing scenes in Alawite villages, where gunmen executed civilians-mostly men-either in the streets or at their doorsteps. Homes have been looted and set ablaze, forcing thousands to flee into the nearby mountains.

Baniyas, one of the worst-affected towns, has witnessed some of the most brutal violence. Residents have reported bodies left lying in the streets and abandoned on rooftops. In some instances, armed men prevented locals from retrieving the bodies of their neighbours for hours.

Ali Sheha, a 57-year-old resident who fled with his family, described a massacre in his neighbourhood where at least 20 Alawites were killed. Some were executed in their shops, while others were murdered in their homes.

"It was very, very bad. Bodies were on the streets," Sheha recounted over the phone from a nearby town. "The gunmen were shooting at random people, asking for IDs to check their sect before killing them," he added.

International Response

France has expressed "deep concern" over the ongoing violence and strongly condemned atrocities committed on religious grounds. In a statement issued on Saturday, the French Foreign Ministry called on Syria's interim government to conduct independent investigations into the mass killings.