At least eight people were killed and eighteen others injured in a bomb attack on the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in the Wadi al-Dhabab neighborhood of Homs on December 26, an area predominantly inhabited by Alawites. The radical Islamist group Al-Ansar claimed responsibility for the attack.
Following the attack, the massacres targeting Alawites that began alongside the process of regime change once again brought the pressure faced by the Alawite community in Syria to the attention of the international public. Alawites took to the streets in protest in Latakia, Tartus, Homs, and many other areas with a high Alawite population. It was reported that the demonstrations were attacked by forces affiliated with the interim Damascus government and armed groups, resulting in the deaths of many people and the detention of numerous others.
Arab Alawite activist and researcher-writer Nidal Hawari spoke to ANF about the systematic repression targeting the Alawite community in Syria, warning that not only Alawites but all peoples in the country are facing a serious risk of massacre.
Hawari said the armed structures operating in Syria are “global terrorist networks” formed in line with international interests, noting that these groups consist of elements recruited from across the world and are listed as terrorist organizations on international lists. Stressing that these groups are particularly targeting Alawites, Hawari said the Alawite community is currently unarmed and in the most vulnerable position. He warned that if Alawites are neutralized in this way, other communities living in Syria will be targeted next.
The aim is to intimidate Alawites and redesign the region
Hawari said the policy being pursued is not only sectarian but also part of a broader geostrategic and economic plan, noting that the population is being forced into displacement and that armed groups linked to Central Asia and Turkey are intended to be settled in their place. He stressed that this process aims to take control of energy resources and strategic areas, underlining that the peoples of Syria will pay a very heavy price until this plan is fully implemented.
Hawari said the collapse of the Assad regime left society in deep shock and that Alawites were kept unorganized and defenseless for a long time. He added that as the massacres continued, the population began to break through the walls of fear, and that the protests now seen on the streets are the result of overcoming this fear.
Hawari said armed groups have carried out armed executions in the streets in an effort to pacify the population, adding that despite this, people have not backed down. He said the Alawite community will not abandon its demands or its right to self-defense and added: “What has happened recently is a turning point for Alawites. Alawites will no longer remain silent. If the attacks continue, this struggle will evolve into an armed process from the Alawite perspective.”
Hawari said the struggle to meet the Alawite community’s social demands will continue, adding that Kurds and Druze hold similar demands. He noted that a joint struggle by peoples around these demands would strengthen coexistence, warning that if these demands are not met, serious ruptures could emerge in Syria. He cautioned that persistence in repression and terror methods could accelerate processes of secession and the emergence of separate state formations.
Hawari said the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and parallel armed organizations responded to the Alawite community’s civilian struggle against massacres by killing people, adding that serious massacres took place during the demonstrations. He said the absence of independent news-gathering centers in Syria has made it impossible to determine the real number of casualties, but that information coming especially from human rights activists clearly reveals the gravity of the situation and requires international attention.
Hawari said: “The figures announced by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights are very low. Many deaths are not recorded in official records. HTS-affiliated checkpoints do not register most of the arrests and detentions they carry out. The real number of deaths is not documented. We know that some families have been completely wiped out, leaving no one behind to speak for them. For this reason, the figures announced by international institutions do not reflect the truth. What has happened shows that the massacres are far greater.”
The solution lies in peoples’ solidarity
Hawari said the only way to ensure peace and stability in Syria is for peoples to act together, calling on Alawites, Druze, Kurds, Christians, and all other communities to unite around the demand for a shared democratic life.
Hawari also said: “Let us look at this situation from outside the region. What do the countries that hold power and money in the region, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel, want? In fact, they are calling for a decentralized, federal, and democratic system in the region. Forces that perceive this as a threat never allow Syria to be at ease. This is precisely why stability cannot be established today.
If Turkey persists in this position, as has been stated many times before, it will face serious problems within its own borders. There is already an economic crisis, and the political situation is moving toward chaos. Today, clashes involving ISIS members took place in Yalova. The mobilization of these forces is seen as a reflection of Turkey’s pressure on Syria.
The only condition for the current situation to change is for the peoples of Syria to act together in solidarity. Alawites, Druze, Kurds, Christians, and all other communities want to live in democracy like ordinary people. This can only be achieved through collective solidarity and joint action. The people are aware of this. Once the obstacles that have been mentioned are removed, I believe that it will not take long for the peoples of Syria to build a shared democratic structure.”