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Growing Concern in Syrian Coastal Areas Following Repeated Violations
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Field practices by the Military Operations Administration and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham reveal an approach that repeats the previous regime's mistakes in dealing with community components
Fears are escalating among Syria's Alawite community since the political landscape changed a month ago, especially after security forces affiliated with the Military Operations Administration began pursuing former regime elements under the pretext of arresting them and disarming them.
The raid and search operations, which covered most areas of the Syrian coast and the countryside of Homs and Hama, coincided with multiple violations that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham described as "individual actions" not reflecting the new authority's directives.
The coastal region witnessed a security development with the liberation of elements belonging to the Military Operations Administration after their capture by an armed group from the remnants of the previous regime, following their leader's audio recording threatening to eliminate them if forces didn't withdraw from the Jableh area.
Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported that Bassam Hussam al-Din appeared and kidnapped elements in the Ain al-Sharqiya area "according to directives from Suheil al-Hassan and specific parties to provoke public opinion, before his elimination and the return of calm to the area."
The Alawite sect, representing 12% of Syria's 23 million population, enjoyed broad influence in security and military institutions during the five-decade rule of the central regime.
Human rights lawyer Jubran Atallah emphasized the necessity of distinguishing between Alawites and loyalists of the previous regime, confirming that the majority of Alawites rejected the 2011 events and subsequent civil war, considering that the optimal solution was to hand over power and avoid internal conflict.
While Alawites retreat to their homes amid disturbances in their villages, young Tammam says: "We monitor events through social media and feel afraid. We are cautiously optimistic about the new administration's statements and demand the application of law and justice."
The events resulted in calls for foreign intervention, with Saleh Al-Mansour demanding French protection to guarantee Alawite rights, which prompted responses from community notables.
Levant-Agencies
