Forced Eviction: Alawites in Syria Removed from Personal Residences Under Threat of Firearms

One chilly winter's night in Damascus saw a gang of 12 masked men storm into Um Hassan's family home, waving their AK-47s menacingly. They demanded they leave, and when the family presented their legal documents, they arrested Um Hassan's oldest brother. Their punishment? Giving up their house to the men 24 hours later. Um Hassan's family is just one of many Alawites who've been forced out of their homes by the Syrian security forces since Ahmed Al-Sharaa seized power.

Hundreds of Alawite families have been driven out of their privately-owned homes in the capital city, according to Syrian officials, community leaders, human rights groups, and 12 people with similar tales to tell. Perhaps the most disturbing part? These aren't isolated incidents—it's systematic, with hundreds, if not thousands, of cases of evictions.[1][2]

The Alawites, an offshoot of Shia Muslims, have traditionally held power in Syria, with Bashar Al-Assad, a fellow Alawite, ruling for over 50 years. They've dominated government, the military, and big businesses. Now, however, they're the ones being targeted, with supporters of Al-Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda affiliate, meting out revenge.[3]

In March, violent sectarian clashes erupted in Syria's western coastal region and spread to Damascus. Hundreds of Alawites were killed, and armed groups loyal to Assad launched deadly ambushes on Al-Sharaa's security forces.[4] Two government officials stated that thousands of people have been removed from their homes in Damascus since Al-Sharaa took control, with the majority being Alawites. However, many were forced out of government housing associated with their jobs because they lost employment.[5]

However, Alawites claim hundreds more, like Um Hassan, were evicted from their privately owned homes solely because of their religious beliefs. Interviews with multiple officials and victims reveal this is indeed the case, though neither the Interior Ministry nor Al-Sharaa's office responded to requests for comment.[6]

Alawites fear these evictions are part of a broader system of sectarian score-settling by Syria's new rulers, with one official going as far as to claim that hundreds of complaints have been made to the local authorities due to violent evictions.[7]

In some cases, the new authorities have established "War Spoils Committees" to manage properties deemed to belong to individuals linked to the previous regime, furthering worries among the Alawite community.[8] While the extent to which Al-Sharaa is aware of these actions is unclear, it's believed these committees were inspired by similar entities in his former stronghold.

The new General Security Service (GSS) seems to be an extension of the security force that once ruled Idlib province, according to Syria experts. In essence, it's become the combined force of the police, FBI, CIA, and National Guard.[9]

Um Hussein, a civil servant and mother of four, found herself on the receiving end of these aggressive policies. Two armed men, who identified themselves as GSS members, showed up at her home on January 16. They gave her 24 hours to leave thanks to her disabled son. Despite her appeals, the next day the men returned and gave her only two minutes to vacate her home. To add insult to injury, they also confiscated a shop her family had been renting out, where they'd invested all their savings.[10]

As the events unfolded, cities across Syria saw thousands of Alawites displaced and over half a million forced to flee their homes in Homs, Aleppo, and other major cities after Assad was toppled.[11]

Although efforts have been made to address these issues, it's clear that the Alawite community is still facing enormous challenges in the wake of these sectarian evictions.

The storm of evictions against Alawite families in Syria, especially in Damascus, continues to escalate, according to numerous sources.
The police-like manner in which the General Security Service (GSS) is operating raises concerns that they are acting similarly to their predecessors in Idlib province.
Amid the unrest in Syria, the UN, human rights groups, and community leaders have reported incidents of war-related confiscations and violent evictions targeting Alawite families.
The report of Um Hassan's family being forced out of their home by the Syrian security forces is but one of many similar stories that have emerged since Ahmed Al-Sharaa seized power.
The Alawites, who have traditionally held significant power within the Syrian government, military, and businesses, are now among the most vulnerable groups in the country.
In the middle of the general-news section of the article, it was discovered that hundreds of Alawite families have been driven out of their homes, many of which were privately owned, by the new authorities.
Um Hussein, an Alawite civil servant, is one of the many victims who have been forced out of their homes due to their religious beliefs, according to multiple interviews with officials and victims.
The Alawite community has expressed concern that the War Spoils Committees established by the new authorities are part of a broader system of sectarian score-settling.
The tension between the Alawites and the new rulers of Syria has resulted in hundreds of complaints to local authorities regarding violent evictions, according to one official's statement.
Syrian officials, human rights groups, and victims interviewed for the story all agree that Alawite families have been systematically targeted since Al-Sharaa took control, with hundreds of incidents reported.
With the regime change, the Syrian president's Alawite powerbase has been challenged, and the Syrian military and political landscape is shifting as a result.
The story of Um Hassan's family is just one example of the crime and injustice faced by the Syrian people, particularly the Alawites, under the new government's rule.
Syria experts believe the newly formed General Security Service (GSS) wields an amount of power that rivals the combined force of the police, FBI, CIA, and National Guard.