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Attacks Targeting Alawite Shrines in Tartous Carried Out by Defense Ministry Personnel
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The repeated attacks on religious shrines and symbols of the Alawite sect reveal the failure of Syria's interim caretaker government to control sectarian violations and prevent the exploitation of rel
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented an attack by personnel affiliated with the Defense Ministry in Syria's interim caretaker government on an Alawite shrine in rural Tartous, raising fears of growing sectarian discourse and threats to the Syrian social fabric.
The Observatory obtained a video recording showing armed elements from the Defense Ministry inside the shrine of Sheikh Ahmad al-Shaabani near the Syrian-Lebanese border, using inflammatory language that stirs sectarian tensions and targets the Alawite community, in a flagrant violation of the sanctity of religious sites.
The Syrian Observatory called on the Syrian authorities and the transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa to put an end to these violations and hold those responsible accountable, emphasizing that "these criminal acts seek to undermine national stability and destabilize efforts for peaceful coexistence between the components of the Syrian people, who have long been distinguished by their sectarian and religious diversity."
In a separate incident on April 7, an armed faction seized the home of Sheikh Abdul Latif Mohsen's family in the village of Al-Qamsiyah in Sheikh Badr area in rural Tartous province. The armed elements refused to leave the house despite the homeowner's demands to reclaim it.
According to details, military vehicles, machinery, and tanks arrived at the village, and the armed men broke the locks of the outer door and stormed the house while its owners were in Tartous city. They then roamed the village and raided the shrine of Sheikh Abdul Latif Mohsen, amid reports of vandalism to its contents.
These incidents reflect a disastrous failure to control security chaos and protect the rights of religious communities, indicating sectarian tendencies within some state agencies, which requires firm measures to hold those involved accountable and ensure such attacks are not repeated.
The targeting of Alawite shrines comes amid sectarian tensions in some Syrian regions, especially after the recent violent events in the Syrian coastal areas, necessitating a comprehensive review of policies toward various Syrian components.
