-
The Alawite Religious Authority Warns of Serious Violations Threatening Civil Peace.. and Demands Fair Treatment
-
The demand for forming joint security forces reflects the Alawite community's desire to participate in protecting their areas within the framework of new state institutions
The Council of Scholars of Young Descendants of Muhammad in the Syrian Coast issued a strong statement warning of serious violations targeting the Alawite community, while affirming its commitment to the Alawite Media Authority's decision regarding loyalty to the state and staying away from sectarian strife.
The statement, written by council member Abu Ibrahim Salami, monitored a series of violations in the areas of Homs, Hama, Masyaf, and Banias, including looting, attacks on residents, and house burnings, criticizing the authorities' failure to protect civilians.
The Alawite Religious Authority demanded immediate disclosure of the fate of a convoy of defecting officers who disappeared near Al-Sukhna while heading from Deir ez-Zor to their families, as well as a group of young people detained in Hama prison.
The council emphasized the need for balanced transitional justice, recalling the massacres that Alawite villages endured throughout the years of conflict, including the Al-Tawba Prison tragedy, the Adra Workers massacre, and the events in rural Latakia in 2013, confirming thousands of civilian casualties.
The Religious Authority strongly condemned the targeting of religious shrines and Alawite ancestral tombs under the cover of military operations, considering it a flagrant violation of religious sanctities and contrary to Islamic law, which prohibits the desecration of graves.
The council proposed a security initiative involving the formation of joint groups under state supervision and in coordination with military leadership, denying any intention to form independent armed factions and affirming its commitment to working within official institutions.
The Religious Authority pointed to the dual suffering of the Alawite community under Assad's regime, documenting the elimination of Alawite officers and military personnel who refused to fire on peaceful protesters, whom the regime presented as victims of armed groups.
The statement called for a comprehensive approach to accountability, suggesting either holding all those involved in violations accountable or issuing a general amnesty to turn the page on the past, while being strict in accounting for any future violations.
The Religious Authority concluded its statement by declaring allegiance to Ahmad Al-Shara as president, conditional on meeting the community's demands and protecting its rights, warning against attempts by remnants of the former regime to exploit the current chaos to fuel sectarian strife.
The statement concluded by affirming the Alawite community's commitment to participating in building a new Syria based on civilization and coexistence, calling on the new authorities to reciprocate and maintain this positive direction.
Levant-Follow up
