By Lauren Sedemeester
10/03/2025
Violent clashes broke out between gunmen linked to Syria’s new Islamist rulers and loyalists of the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad, in the country’s coastal region on Thursday, 6 March 2025.
Syria is witnessing its deadliest eruption of violence since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, with more than 1,000 people killed, including 830 civilians, mostly in close-range shootings. Additionally, 125 government security force members and 148 militants affiliated with Assad were killed. Most casualties belong to the once-influential Alawite community, to which the Assad family belongs.
Why Did Clashes Break Out in Syria?
Since the fall of the Assad regime late last year, there has been a rise in separatist attacks against Alawites, who held positions of power in the Syrian government for over five decades. Following an ambush on security forces by Assad loyalists, government forces retaliated with a crackdown on pro-Assad militants. This escalated into revenge killings, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians in Syria’s Alawite heartlands, particularly in the coastal regions of Latakia, Tartous, and Baniyas.
Who Are the Alawites?
The Alawites are a religious minority in Syria, making up about 12% of the population. Originating from Shia Islam, they have distinct beliefs and rituals. Historically, the Alawites have been concentrated in Syria’s coastal regions. The Assad family, which ruled Syria for over 50 years until December 2024, belongs to the Alawite sect. During their regime, Alawites held significant positions in the military and government, which benefited them and led to perceptions of preferential treatment.
The growing anger against the Assad regime led to protests in 2011 during the Arab Spring. However, these protests were suppressed, leading to a lengthy civil war.
HTS Takeover: Promises and Fears
After over a decade of civil war, the Assad regime collapsed suddenly when a rebel alliance led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS—roughly translated as “Organisation for the Liberation of the Levant”), a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, swiftly took over Syria three months ago. In an attempt to win the public over, HTS leader and the new government’s interim president, Ahmand al-Sharaa, promised that Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities would live safely under its rule after taking power.
The HTS leadership in Damascus even went so far as to publicly introduce a set of rules, which included a ban on revenge attacks between Syrians, press restrictions, and dress codes for women—creating hope for a more moderate Islamist rule. However, many Syrians, including Christians, remained sceptical—rightly so—as they feared a power vacuum and doubted whether these promises would be kept.
Who Is Being Targeted?
Since the takeover, Al-Sharaa’s government has stationed armed forces in Syria’s coastal region, the stronghold of the Alawites. Previously dominant under the Assad regime, many Alawites are now facing retaliations from armed Sunni factions, reportedly loyal to the new government, who endured oppression during Assad’s rule. Revenge attacks have claimed the lives of over a thousand people as Syria’s power dynamics continue to shift violently.
Despite mainstream media reports that only Alawites are being targeted, reports from within Syria suggest that other minority groups are also under attack.
One of our partners living in Syria shared that events are escalating rapidly, with deep sadness and fear spreading among the people. She further stated that entire villages have been slaughtered, and concerns are growing about a deliberate plan to exterminate minority groups.
Widespread misinformation is further inflaming tensions. She told us that numerous clashes erupted yesterday (09 March 2025), and there is active incitement to target the Kurds, similar to the attacks on the Alawites along the coast. People are terrified, and many, including our partner and her family, are considering fleeing as soon as possible. There is a growing sense of helplessness as violence continues unchecked. In her words, “The people are terrified, and no one can stop these monsters.”
Reports of Massacres and Atrocities
An affiliate of INcontext in Syria has informed us that these areas have been attacked by terrorist groups committing massacres against civilians, with a particular focus on Christian and Alawite minorities. He further shared:
“These groups raid homes in villages under the pretext of conducting government inspections. However, once inside, they brutally execute entire families. Many homes have been looted, and valuables and cars stolen. Hundreds of innocent civilians, including university students, children, and women, have been killed solely because of their religious and sectarian identity. Churches and Christian cemeteries have been attacked. There are even reports of an Orthodox bishop being killed, though these remain unconfirmed. The situation is heartbreaking and inhumane, especially with the rise of inciting rhetoric calling for the extermination of minorities.
Syria desperately needs prayers, and urgent international intervention is required to protect civilians and prevent the systematic extermination and ethnic cleansing of these communities.”
Why Are They Targeted?
Another INcontext contact shared that innocent people are being murdered under the false pretext of being remnants of the past, only for the perpetrators to later apologise and change the narrative.
Trust has completely eroded as false promises continue to mislead victims, who believe they were safe—only to be found dead in horrific and shocking circumstances. Reports suggest that those responsible now permit atrocities as long as they are not filmed, indicating a deliberate effort to shape the country through fear and violence. Any moderate voices that emerge are swiftly eliminated, accused of supporting the former regime.
Although not with the same ferocity as the Alawites, Christians in the region report being directly targeted, with some kidnapped and ransoms demanded for their release. There are accounts of land seizures in Christian villages, alongside efforts to impose dress codes and gender segregation in public spaces. Some militants have allegedly stated that Christians will be targeted next, following attacks on Alawites and Shiites. In a particularly alarming incident, Bedouins (nomadic Arabs of the desert) attempted to storm a church, raising concerns that it could be seized at any moment.
The Christian community feels deeply unsafe, with widespread fear and uncertainty about the future. Restrictions on emigration, particularly to the United States, have left many feeling abandoned and forgotten. Our contact shared that despite this, they hold onto their faith, believing that God has protected them in the past and will continue to do so, even as the world turns away.
How Can We Respond?
Let us, as the Body of Christ, not turn a blind eye to the suffering of fellow Christians in Syria. Let us respond to their plight by praying confidently and without ceasing, knowing that “the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective” (James 5:16). And where possible, let us also act in compassion for those in Syria who are enduring these atrocities.
Please join us in praying for the following:
- Pray for the safety and protection of Christians and other persecuted minorities.
- Ask for an end to the ongoing violence, for hearts to be transformed, for conflicts to cease, and for leaders to choose reconciliation over revenge.
- Lift up Syrian Christians, that they may remain steadfast in faith despite fear and uncertainty. Ask God to provide comfort, hope, and the assurance of His presence.
- Pray that both national and international leaders will act justly and work towards peace and reconciliation.
- Pray for provision, protection, and open doors for those seeking safety and assistance.
