Forced Migration of Syrian Alawites: Silent Religious Cleansing in Northern Hama
Forced Migration of Syrian Alawites: Silent Religious Cleansing in Northern Hama
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Reports from Syria’s Hama province indicate that Alawite communities in the al-Ghab Plain are facing systematic forced migration, raising fears of a targeted campaign of sectarian cleansing, Shia Waves Persian reported.
Villages once home to Alawite families are rapidly emptying, not due to war or poverty, but under mounting pressure from armed groups, property seizures, and threats of violence. Local accounts suggest that the displacement is deliberate, aiming to alter the demographic fabric of the region.
In the village of Kafr Aqeed, about 20 Alawite families abandoned their homes after months of intimidation, armed attacks, and theft. One villager recounted: “Every day brought new threats, shootings, and attacks on our farms and livestock. In the end, we fled with only the clothes on our backs.”
Similar stories emerge from al-Aziziya, where fewer than 15% of the original Alawite population remains. Residents describe kidnappings, land grabs, and alleged complicity by certain security actors.
In Qabr Fadda, displaced families say attackers explicitly justified the expulsions on religious grounds. “They told us we must taste displacement because we are Alawites,” said Umm Ali, an elderly woman who fled with her children.
Reports also point to the use of legal pretexts to strip families of agricultural lands that were previously granted under official contracts. These lands are now being confiscated by force under contested claims.
Local activists warn of a coordinated strategy designed to erase the Alawite presence from northern Hama, beginning with small villages before expanding further.
Despite the seriousness of these developments, international bodies and human rights organizations have largely remained silent. Observers caution that if left unchecked, the campaign could escalate into a major humanitarian crisis, targeting vulnerable communities solely because of their religious identity.
