The civil war and power vacuum in Syria have led to systematic attacks targeting Alawite communities.

Alawite IDPs who fled the conflict in the country and sought refuge in the Autonomous Administration regions in North-East Syria told ANF about the serious violations they have experienced.

Y.R., who was forced to flee the coastal region, said that he, his wife, and children escaped from areas controlled by HTŞ (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) and sought refuge in the Autonomous Administration areas.

'What was imposed on us was genocide'

“HTŞ became an interim government, but what was imposed on us was genocide,” said Y.R., describing what they witnessed:

“After the regime collapsed, a so-called interim government was established. However, all we saw was theft, murder, and kidnapping. They were even taking women and children away. We were forced to leave Homs. The Autonomous Administration regions became the only place of safety and brotherhood. Here, all the communities have embraced us.”

'There was no humanity in their faces'

Y.R. stated that the pressure increased exponentially with the HTŞ militants taking complete control: “They established so-called ministries and justice institutions, but they were all for show. Then armed groups such as Shishan, Igor, and others—who I consider to be terrorists—began looting villages. They were breaking into our homes, smashing doors to get inside. They were destroying belongings and taking whatever they could steal. They were grabbing young people in the streets and telling them to 'walk like animals.' If you refused, you would be executed. There was no humanity in their faces.”

'For those who couldn't escape, the fate was to be beheaded'

Y.R. told how his villages were razed to the ground, explaining the scale of the genocide against Alawites as follows: “Between 10,000 and 15,000 people were abducted. Some were never found again. Women were systematically abducted and sold. Children were killed. Those who remained faced either death or fleeing at any cost. For those who couldn't escape, the fate was to be beheaded.”

‘Their faces looked savage, with long faces and no beards’

N.E., who fled a village in western Syria and sought refuge in the Autonomous Administration areas, described the horror she experienced as follows: “When we arrived in the Autonomous Administration areas, the most important thing was that we were rid of ISIS. While we were sleeping in the morning, they broke down our doors and entered our homes. One day, my husband was not at home; it was just me and my two daughters. They attacked us brutally; my two daughters clung to me out of fear. Their faces looked savage, with long faces and no beards. They broke all our belongings and insulted us (...) Our sheikh was killed in the massacre on the Syrian coast. Despite all the looting and killings, they said, 'We didn't do it,' but they were wearing Syrian security forces' uniforms.”