ALWAGHT- HTS forces fired on mass protests by Syria’s Alawite community in coastal areas, as demonstrators voiced opposition to HTS-led sectarian attacks.
Thousands of Alawites protested in Tartous, Latakia, Baniyas, Jableh, and Homs, condemning what they described as sectarian violence by HTS and its allied militias. Demonstrators marched, chanted, and carried signs demanding an end to attacks on their community.
Local sources reported that HTS forces opened fire on protesters in several locations, wounding some and detaining others. Gunshots were heard in Latakia’s Agriculture Square, and video footage showed at least one man with a head wound lying motionless, though official casualty figures were not confirmed.
The protests followed a deadly raid in Homs’ al-Muhajireen neighborhood, where homes and shops were burned, cars destroyed, and civilians shot, killing at least two people and injuring dozens. Alawite religious leader Ghazal Ghazal had called for sit-ins demanding decentralization, protection for civilians, and the release of detainees.
SOHR described the demonstrations as a “peaceful Alawite uprising” held across 42 locations. The group also reported mass killings in recent months, estimating at least 1,600 Alawite civilians were killed in March alone, amid what it called systematic sectarian attacks since HTS took control of Damascus in late 2024.
