Sectarian Tensions and Risk of Syria’s Fragmentation Amid Foreign Interference
Despite promises by Syria’s new government to preserve national unity, recent developments suggest that sectarian tensions and the threat of the country’s breakup are growing.
According to Euronews, Ahmad Shar’a, head of Syria’s interim government who is set to address the UN General Assembly, described preserving the nation’s territorial integrity against ethnic and sectarian pressures as his foremost challenge.
Reuters correspondents report that Kurds in northeast Syria continue to resist integration with the central government, demanding a new constitution to guarantee their rights. Turkey, however, remains firmly opposed to any form of Kurdish autonomy and has openly backed the Syrian army.
In the south, Associated Press notes that the Druze, following bloody clashes with government forces, have openly called for independence. Some Druze spiritual leaders even expressed gratitude to Israel for strikes against Syrian army positions. In Sweida province, Druze militias have taken control of several checkpoints and local councils, with protests featuring both Druze symbols and the Israeli flag.
In the northwest, Alawites have voiced growing dissatisfaction with the Shar’a government. A community leader told Reuters that the Alawites’ survival is at risk, especially after deadly militia attacks in March killed hundreds of civilians.
Meanwhile, Syria’s Christian minority also faces uncertainty. As Reuters reported, a suicide bombing at a church in Damascus killed 25 people, sparking a new wave of emigration.
Syrian officials accuse Israel of exploiting minority grievances to fuel division across the country. Still, Shar’a’s government insists that safeguarding Syria’s unity and rejecting federalism or partition remains the only path forward.
