The Persecution of Minorities in Syria Continues
More than a year and a half after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s Alawite, Druze, Christian, and Shi’ite communities remain targets of extrajudicial killings, abductions, and sectarian violence — a pattern USCIRF says the transitional government has failed to stop.
Despite the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024 and the establishment of a transitional government, religious and ethnic minorities in Syria continue to face serious violence, extrajudicial killings, abductions, and insecurity. According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and other monitoring groups, the transitional authorities have failed to adequately protect freedom of religion or belief. Both state-linked and non-state actors have carried out sectarian attacks targeting Alawites, Druze, Christians, Shi’ites, and other communities.
Major Incidents Since the Transition
Ongoing Violence in 2026
Extrajudicial killings and abductions have continued into 2026. Christian Solidarity International documented multiple incidents in June 2026 alone, including the shooting of Alawite civilians in Hama governorate and the killings of Twelver Shi’ite men in Aleppo and Damascus. The Syrian Justice Archive recorded additional Alawite and Shi’ite killings that same month.
USCIRF’s 2026 Annual Report found that at least 77 people were killed in likely sectarian-motivated incidents in the first four months of 2026. In several cases, community sources pointed to armed Sunni Arab groups linked to the transitional authorities. Christians have also faced arbitrary arrests, particularly in areas such as Saydnaya and Wadi al-Nasara, often linked to past defensive actions against earlier rebel or ISIS attacks.
In mid-June 2026, protests demanding accountability for Assad-era crimes coincided with mob violence and attempts to enter Alawite-majority neighborhoods in Damascus. Human Rights Watch warned that such incidents risk turning demands for justice into collective punishment of entire communities. The Islamic State group has also continued to pose a threat, claiming attacks on religious sites and individuals.
A Pattern of Impunity
Minority communities report political underrepresentation and a lack of meaningful accountability. Investigations into the 2025 massacres have produced limited results, with only junior personnel suspended in some cases. Journalists covering sectarian violence have faced detention, disappearance, or death, and authorities have restricted access to affected areas.
Syria’s interim constitution and governing structures have been criticized for insufficient protections for religious minorities. While the transitional leadership has made public commitments to inclusivity, the pattern of violence and insecurity has left Alawite, Druze, Christian, and other communities deeply vulnerable more than a year and a half after the regime change. USCIRF has recommended that the U.S. State Department designate Syria a “Country of Particular Concern” over particularly severe violations of religious freedom, and international observers continue to urge stronger measures to protect civilians, ensure accountability, and prevent further sectarian escalation.
“Syria, One Year After”: The European Parliament Confronts the Record
On January 28, an international conference titled “Syria, One Year After: The Situation of Minorities” was held at the European Parliament in Brussels, organized by the European Association for the Defense of Minorities (EADM) together with Empower Women Media, with more than seven MEPs from the Women’s Rights and Foreign Affairs committees in attendance. The debate was moderated by Manel Msalmi, founder and president of EADM and a longtime Middle East affairs advisor to the European Parliament.
MEP Hermann Tertsch opened the debate by expressing solidarity with Syria’s minority communities and assured attendees that EU political leaders, particularly within the Foreign Affairs Committee, are closely following the human rights situation in the region amid the latest developments.
Aboras said the Druze community is facing one of the most difficult moments in its history: religious leaders were publicly humiliated through degrading acts such as the forced cutting of mustaches, and civilians were executed in their homes and in the streets simply for being Druze — men and women, children and the elderly alike. She added that Suwayda is now facing a serious humanitarian crisis, with a severe lack of clean drinking water, food, and medicine.
Kara called on the EU and the United States to act to save the lives of the Druze and other minority groups in Syria. He said human rights violations against the Druze and the Kurds must be stopped immediately, that minorities should be protected and supported, and that humanitarian aid should be facilitated without delay.
Abbas focused on the latest events and what she described as systematic and ongoing violations against Alawite communities. She said peacemakers within the community are being detained and punished, and called on the international community to hold perpetrators accountable and to support a political process grounded in the rule of law in Syria.
“Children were being killed, women were arrested and tortured. You can see our situation and how we were forced to flee.” Rhodi Mellek, Rojava Representative to the European Parliament
Virgili described abuses against Syria’s Christian community, including intimidation during Christmas observances and the attack on the Mar Elias church. He said religious and historic sites in the region have already paid a heavy price to ISIS terrorism, and called on EU leaders to ensure constitutional guarantees for religious minorities as well as equal constitutional rights for all Syrian citizens.
Mellek described the suffering of Syria’s Kurdish community amid the latest developments, saying children have been killed and women arrested and tortured. She noted that Kurdish forces fought alongside the international coalition against ISIS and are now left largely unprotected, without reliable water, electricity, or internet access, and called for the international community to facilitate humanitarian aid and halt what she called inhumane attacks by Syrian government forces.
Sloane highlighted the use of gender-based violence, including abduction and sexual violence, by extremist groups targeting minorities in Syria, and said the EU’s response should focus on protecting minorities and applying sanctions pressure on the al-Sharaa government.
The debate closed with participants underscoring the need to secure peace in Syria and the wider region with EU and U.S. support, which speakers described as a strategic investment for the West in guaranteeing security and countering extremism and terrorism. MEP Correa concluded the session by voicing significant concern over Syria’s stability, warning against prematurely lifting sanctions and stressing the importance of confronting Islamist terrorist organizations operating in the country, while emphasizing the need to safeguard minority rights and prevent the further spread of terrorism.
What Watchdogs Are Recommending
- USCIRF: designate Syria a “Country of Particular Concern” for particularly severe religious freedom violations.
- Human Rights Watch: distinguish accountability for Assad-era crimes from collective punishment of minority communities today.
- European Parliament speakers: condition sanctions relief on demonstrated protection of Druze, Alawite, Christian, and Kurdish communities.
- Multiple speakers: facilitate unimpeded humanitarian aid to Suwayda and Rojava, where basic services remain severely disrupted.
About The Author
Discover more from Faith & Freedom News - FFN
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
