Latest news with #Alawite-majority
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
7 Alawites missing in Damascus amid rising tensions
Shafaq News/ Seven Syrian citizens from the Alawite community have disappeared in Damascus, stirring concerns over their fate and casting a fresh spotlight on the challenges faced by Syria's Alawite minority since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Sunday that the missing individuals were last seen returning from work at a restaurant in Qasioun Mall, Barzeh district. Activists reported losing contact with them around 3 a.m. when their daily transport vehicle entered Ash al-Warwar neighborhood, an Alawite stronghold in the capital. Later that morning, the vehicle was found abandoned near the Police Hospital along the international highway, with no trace of them. Since al-Assad's ouster, Syria's Alawite community has faced intensified violence, political marginalization, and economic decline. The Alawites, once a pillar of al-Assad's security apparatus, have found themselves vulnerable to retribution and systemic challenges. Reports indicate that more than 1,383 Alawite civilians have been killed in retaliatory attacks since the regime's collapse. Thousands more have fled traditional strongholds in Latakia and Tartus, fearing reprisals from armed opposition groups. Alawite religious sites have also been targeted, including the torching of the revered shrine of al-Khasibi in Aleppo, sparking protests in Alawite-majority areas.
Rudaw Net
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
UN says Syria's interim government responsible for safety of minorities
Also in Syria Israel strikes near Syrian presidential palace Sweden says ready to help Syria if Damascus upholds inclusivity France, Germany concerned about Syria sectarian violence Death toll in Syria's sectarian clashes rises to 56: War monitor A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The spokesperson for the secretary-general of the United Nations on Thursday said Syria's interim authorities must ensure the safety of minorities and protect civilians as Damascus is again facing international criticism for sectarian violence. 'As we've said here many times, it is important that every one of the nationalities, the minorities, religious minorities, ethnic minorities in Syria feel safe in their country. And it is the responsibility of the interim authorities to ensure that that is the case,' Stephane Dujarric told Rudaw during his weekly press conference. Dozens of people have been killed in days of clashes between armed groups affiliated with Damascus and members of the Druze community in southern Syria. Dujarric described the clashes as 'very concerning.' 'There are interim authorities in Damascus that ended the rule of President Assad and his family. They are now in charge on an interim basis and they have to hold up internationally recognized standards, notably on the protection of civilians,' he said. The violence was reportedly triggered by an audio clip of a man insulting Prophet Mohammed. The recording was falsely attributed to a Druze leader. France, Germany, and the United States have condemned the violence. Damascus received similar criticism in March after hundreds of people were killed in violence in Alawite-majority areas on the coast. Israel has carried out several airstrikes in southern Syria in recent days in support of the Druze community. On Friday morning, Israeli warplanes struck in the vicinity of the presidential palace in Damascus after warning the Syrian government not to deploy forces to Druze-majority areas in the south. Syria condemned the strike and called on the international community to 'stand by Syria in confronting these hostile acts.'
Shafaq News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Chechen fighters take over security in Syrian Alawite village
Shafaq News/ Chechen fighters have taken over security duties in the Alawite-majority village of Al-Raqama in Syria's Homs province, sparking fear and unrest among residents, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Thursday. The UK-based monitor said Syrian authorities appointed the non-Syrian fighters as local security heads, a move that prompted concerns over possible violations against the local Alawite population. A resident told SOHR that the deployment of Chechen personnel had triggered panic. 'People are afraid they will commit abuses against Alawite villagers,' he said, noting that previous local fighters and intelligence affiliates had already fled the area following the fall of al-Assad's regime, fearing arrest or retribution. The change in control came a day after Syrian security forces launched a raid on Al-Raqama, detaining five civilians. According to the Observatory, the arrests followed an incident where an unidentified gunman fired into the air inside the village, prompting a swift response from General Security patrols. Al-Raqama, located in eastern rural Homs, had remained largely untouched by armed conflict throughout the Syrian war, making the recent developments particularly unsettling for its residents. #حمص #الرقاما العلويةحملة اعتقالات عشوائية تشهدها قرية الرقاما في الريف الشرقي لمدينة #حمص ، حيث تم اعتقال 7 أشخاص يوم أمس، ومساء اليوم اعتقال عددٍ آخر . تزامناً مع إطلاق نار كثيف في الهواء.تجدر الإشارة إلى أن قرية الرقاما لا تشهد أي مشكل وتتمتع بعلاقات طيبة مع القرى المجاورة — ⚔️💚علوية وافتخر 💚⚔️ (@MemoKh1644524) May 1, 2025
Shafaq News
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
10+ Alawites dead: Civilian killings on the rise in Syria's Homs
Shafaq News/ Nearly a dozen Alawite civilians were killed in the Syrian city of Homs within the past 24 hours during raids carried out by an armed group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Friday. The UK-based monitor said the 11 victims included university students – three who "died under torture after being detained." The Observatory noted a recent uptick in killings and abuses across Homs, attributing the trend to 'widespread lawlessness and lack of accountability.' The security situation deteriorated further after deadly violence along Syria's coast last month, when more than 1,700 people—mostly Alawites—were killed between March 6 and 8 in coastal cities, in what SOHR described as the ' bloodiest 72 hours in Syria's modern history.' Authorities at the time accused pro-government militias loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad of initiating the coastal violence by launching deadly attacks on rival factions. The government later deployed military reinforcements to Alawite-majority areas.
Rudaw Net
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Rojava sends second aid convoy to Syria's coastal Alawite region
Also in Syria US calls for stronger UN response to terrorist threats in Syria Sharaa extends investigation into March violence against Alawites UN reiterates need for an inclusive Syria Rojava authorities slam Syrian cultural minister over labeling Syriac as 'Arabic dialect' A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A humanitarian organization based in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Friday dispatched a second aid convoy to Syria's Alawite-majority coastal region where violent clashes in March left hundreds dead and thousands in need of assistance. 'The second humanitarian convoy has launched as part of the grassroots initiative in northern and eastern Syria to assist our people in the Syrian coast,' read a statement from the Kurdish Red Crescent. The convoy includes 14,000 aid packages - 12,000 food baskets and 2,000 hygiene baskets - collected through donations from residents of Rojava, the Kurdish Red Crescent, and other organizations, including the Women's Initiative and the Mesopotamia Association, according to the statement. In March, residents of Rojava launched a campaign to support Alawite-majority areas in western Syria, where security forces loyal to Damascus clashed with armed groups reportedly linked to the family of ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, killing around 1,500 people, mostly Alawites and many of them civilians. Ahmed Ibrahim, an executive member of the Kurdish Red Crescent, told Rudaw English at the time that around 10,000 boxes of essential items were sent in a first convoy of aid. The Qamishli-based organization, established in 2012, has become one of the largest local humanitarian actors, delivering aid to conflict-affected communities across Syria. The violence in western Syria has drawn widespread condemnation from Western and regional powers, as well as human rights organizations.
