Protests and Violence Erupt in Syria
Syria’s Islamist government, along with various human rights organizations, reported on Monday that three individuals lost their lives and many others sustained injuries during protests led by Alawites, calling for a less centralized federal governance system in Damascus.
The unrest began during what was labeled a “peaceful” demonstration in the coastal area of Latakia, historically known for its significant Alawite Muslim population and serving as a former stronghold for Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The Alawites, a minority sect of Shiite Muslims, have been in power through the Assad family for over fifty years.
Following the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024, Assad and his family fled to Moscow, where they were granted political asylum. His government was succeeded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a jihadist group linked to al-Qaeda, which took control of Aleppo in November 2024. This event essentially led to the disbandment of the Syrian army and marked a significant turning point in the ongoing civil war that has gripped the nation since 2011.
The current president, Ahmed al-Shallah, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, previously led HTS. He has since dissolved the group and is attempting to merge its members into the restructured Syrian army. Despite his intentions to build an “inclusive” Islamist government that could accommodate minorities like Christians and Kurds, he has enacted a distinctly Islamist constitution and has defended his government’s policies publicly.
Under al-Shallah’s rule, relations with non-Arab Sunni Muslims have faced challenges. He has made public overtures to Christians, but has struggled to gain acceptance from the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes Kurdish militias. The year has also seen consistent attacks on Alawite communities from groups affiliated with the former HTS. The Alawites have denounced months of violent assaults, which have sometimes included confrontations involving security forces against civilian protesters.
Recent violence erupted last Sunday when Sheikh Ghazal Ghazal, head of the Alawite Islamic Supreme Council of Syria and the Diaspora, urged Alawites to participate in nationwide protests. Ghazal accused the al-Shallah government and its associated militias of committing “identity-based killings,” warning that ongoing violence without prompt intervention and international protection would only exacerbate the situation.
He advocated for a federal system allowing the Alawites some autonomy, encouraging peaceful protests, which were most vocal in Latakia, where the largest crowds gathered.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a London-based monitoring body, noted that the three casualties included a bystander, Zein al-Abidine Azzam Hussein, who was reportedly shot while returning home, unassociated with the protests. This matched reports from the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), which also confirmed three deaths and around 60 injuries, including a member of the security forces.
In a contrasting narrative, SANA suggested that “elements of the ousted regime” had attacked security personnel during the protests, necessitating a rapid response. They also claimed that “remnant” mobs had assaulted ambulances and state vehicles, alleging the involvement of terrorists connected to former Assad officials.
Reports indicated that during a protest at Al-Azhari Roundabout, unidentified assailants fired shots into the air, prompting a crackdown by security forces. SOHR later reported that security personnel had begun openly attacking peaceful protestors, leading to clashes. Afterward, there were reports of supporters of the government verbally harassing residents of an Alawite neighborhood.
The SOHR further indicated that violence against Alawites continued in different regions, including security patrols carrying out arrests in Alawite-dominated areas of Hama.
The Syrian government has repeatedly claimed that it is not targeting political dissenters but instead is focused on eliminating terrorism aimed at reigniting the civil conflict.
An official from the interior ministry cautioned residents in coastal areas not to be deceived by calls for protests that may mask armed agendas. They described recent arrests of armed group affiliates as evidence of the real motivations behind the protests.
Concerns for Alawite safety escalated following a bombing that killed at least eight individuals at the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs last Friday, which officials linked to the Assad regime. Although al-Shallah’s administration condemned the attack, they argued that it represented a convergence of the old regime’s remnants, ISIS fighters, and collaborators working to destabilize the region.
This incident resonated particularly given that it occurred during Christmas week—traditionally a period when jihadists have targeted Christians rather than Sunni Muslims of different sects. Ahead of the holidays, the SOHR reported that the al-Shallah government had heightened security presence around churches, while SANA showcased scenes of Christians in Latakia celebrating Christmas joyfully.
In the aftermath of the protests, Ghazal advised fellow Alawites through social media to refrain from public demonstrations for their safety and to remain home.
