Outbreak of sectarian violence claims lives of six Syrian Alawites

Gunmen have killed six Alawite civilians in Syria’s coastal and interior regions over the past 24 hours, The National reported. The attacks come days after Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara’s visit to France, where he discussed protecting minorities amid ongoing conflict.

Four victims, including a young student, were killed in a drive-by shooting in the Alawite countryside near Jableh by former rebels allied with Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), which led a rebel offensive last year. Two taxi drivers from an Alawite neighborhood in Homs were also killed by unidentified gunmen.

International calls to protect Syria’s minorities have intensified following recent mass killings of Alawite and Druze communities. These minorities, making up about a quarter of Syria’s population, fear Islamist rule under HTS. President Emmanuel Macron urged the new authorities to protect all Syrians without exception. Despite some stabilization, Alawites live in fear amid ongoing violence and abductions, with many seeking refuge abroad.