As Syria’s civil turmoil unfolds, the Alawite minority finds itself confronting the reality of a changing political landscape.
Syria's Alawite Community Faces Uncertainty After Assad's Fall
Syria's Alawite Community Faces Uncertainty After Assad's Fall
The Alawite minority, historically favored under the Assad regime, grapples with fear and calls for accountability as the country shifts post-dictatorship.
In al-Qardaha, a village steeped in the legacy of the Assad family, recent events have left many Alawites feeling anxious about their future. The mausoleum of former President Hafez al-Assad, once a site of reverence, has become a focal point of public disdain, with graffiti scrawled on its walls expressing years of pent-up frustration.
This region, predominantly inhabited by Alawites, accounting for roughly 10% of Syria's population, is now under the shadow of uncertainty as voices for justice rise in the aftermath of a brutal dictatorship that lasted over five decades. The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, following in the footsteps of his father, has led many Syrians to demand accountability for the regime's past atrocities, leaving the Alawite community feeling vulnerable.
“There’s a lot of fear in our hearts,” Dr. Fidaa Deeb, an Alawite gynecologist, confessed during a local gathering. The desecration of Hafez al-Assad's tomb is particularly troubling, as it embodies a collective anger directed not only at the legacy of the Assads but at the Alawite identity itself.
Amid the upheaval, the Alawites now stand on precarious ground, grappling with their past privileges and the uncertain path ahead in a post-Assad Syria. As the country searches for a new identity, the Alawite minority is left to navigate a future filled with challenges and demands for justice.
This region, predominantly inhabited by Alawites, accounting for roughly 10% of Syria's population, is now under the shadow of uncertainty as voices for justice rise in the aftermath of a brutal dictatorship that lasted over five decades. The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, following in the footsteps of his father, has led many Syrians to demand accountability for the regime's past atrocities, leaving the Alawite community feeling vulnerable.
“There’s a lot of fear in our hearts,” Dr. Fidaa Deeb, an Alawite gynecologist, confessed during a local gathering. The desecration of Hafez al-Assad's tomb is particularly troubling, as it embodies a collective anger directed not only at the legacy of the Assads but at the Alawite identity itself.
Amid the upheaval, the Alawites now stand on precarious ground, grappling with their past privileges and the uncertain path ahead in a post-Assad Syria. As the country searches for a new identity, the Alawite minority is left to navigate a future filled with challenges and demands for justice.
