Following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, attacks carried out by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) against Alawites sparked outrage both in Turkey and worldwide. Although the HTS has attempted to portray these attacks as an effort to 'eliminate remnants of the Assad regime,' emerging evidence clearly indicates that Alawites were the direct target.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) strongly opposed the massacre of Alawites and subsequently announced that they had reached an agreement with the Damascus government, with the primary condition being the cessation of attacks against Alawites. While this agreement initially faced criticism in some circles, HTS's admission that its own forces were responsible for the massacres, along with its pledge to launch an investigation and punish those involved, confirmed that the core of the agreement was indeed focused on halting attacks against Alawites.

ANF spoke with Celal Fırat, Istanbul MP for the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and a member of the Alawite community, about the agreement between SDF and the Damascus government, as well as the situation of Alawites in Syria. In his remarks to our agency, Fırat stated that the much-debated Article 6 of the agreement is fundamentally rooted in the legacy of the Baath regime. He explained that the long-standing portrayal of Assad and the Baath regime as an 'Alawite government' has fueled these discussions. Highlighting an often-overlooked point, Fırat emphasized that the SDF entered into negotiations with the condition that massacres against Alawites and attacks on other communities must come to an end.

The Assad regime was portrayed as an Alawite government

Celal Fırat pointed out that the portrayal of the Assad regime as an 'Alawite government' has led to Alawites being blamed for all the negative developments in Syria. He said: "There are multiple reasons behind the massacre of Alawites in Syria. One of the main factors is, of course, the persistent portrayal of the Assad administration and the Baath regime as an 'Alawite government' as if it were a regime ruled entirely by Alawites. Because of this, the past wrongdoings of the Syrian government were attributed to the Alawites, and they were targeted as scapegoats for revenge. Alawites were made responsible for the actions of the regime.

We know that the backlash against the current administration in Syria is not limited to Alawites. There has been opposition from secularists, Alawites, Druze, Christians, Assyrians, Armenians, Kurds, and many others. However, these reactions have continuously been framed as merely coming from supporters of the former government, with Alawites being singled out the most. The old regime was equated with Alawites, but in reality, this was not the case. The Alawite community has historically been one of the most impoverished and politically marginalized groups in Syria. The former government was actually a Sunni Arab administration. Another crucial reason for these massacres is the ideology of jihadist groups like ISIS, which have influenced Syria, the Middle East, and even the world. These groups view everyone outside their own ranks as enemies and consider it their duty to wage jihad against them."

Salafists target both non-Muslims and Muslim sects

Fırat added: "Salafist groups do not limit their takfiri ideology to non-Muslims; they also label various groups within Islam as infidels and wage jihad against them. In this regard, Alawites have become one of the primary targets of this extremist mentality in many parts of the world, particularly in the Middle East and, of course, in Syria. For these groups, it makes no difference whether an Alawite supports Assad or not, or whether they consider themselves part of Islam or not. Regardless of their stance, they are among the foremost targets of these jihadist, reactionary, Salafist circles. We have witnessed this firsthand; killing Alawites has been presented as one of the keys to entering paradise. These factions see themselves as avenging the Battle of Siffin, continuing Muawiyah’s Umayyad ideology, and perpetuating the legacy of Yazid, who was responsible for the massacre at Karbala. Their ideology is fundamentally based on the slaughter of those who support Ali and the Ahl al-Bayt."

Massacres aim to erase Alawites and block reconciliation

Fırat continued: "This massacre did not emerge suddenly; rather, it has reached its peak. For the past two or three months, there has been a systematic pattern of detentions, mistreatment, disappearances, forced displacement, and continuous killings in Alawite-inhabited areas. There are, of course, many reasons behind this. One of the main factors is the presence of a system that does not align with the power dynamics in the region, leading to an urgent desire for revenge. Killing Alawites serves multiple purposes: altering the region’s democratic structure, erasing Alawite presence, and seizing their lands, properties, and homes. Another possible motive is an attempt to obstruct a reconciliation, agreement, or restructuring process between the SDF and the Damascus government.

Turkey may also have played a role in these events. When the massacres began, certain groups in Turkey, including the pro-government media, openly threatened Alawites and did everything possible to justify the massacres taking place there."

Fırat noted that instead of a formal agreement between the SDF and HTS, it would be more accurate to speak of a preliminary agreement. He explained that this understanding is focused on Syria’s reconstruction process and that its fundamental condition, set by the SDF, was halting the massacres of Alawites.

Fırat continued: "‘I do not think it is entirely accurate to speak of a direct agreement between the SDF and HTS. The SDF, primarily representing the Kurds, has engaged with the newly formed Syrian administration, reaching a preliminary agreement with them. This is not merely a deal between two organizations; rather, it is an initial framework for reorganizing and rebuilding Syria’s governance and structure. This preliminary agreement is of vital importance for the future of Syria’s peoples and religious communities. Additionally, the fact that stopping the massacre of Alawites was set as a precondition makes it all the more significant."

A vital agreement for Alawite existence

Celal Fırat emphasized the significance of the agreement, stating: "This agreement is essentially the key to building a new Syria, which is why it is so important. As outlined in its provisions, it lays the groundwork for an inclusive system that embraces all identities and religious communities, regardless of their background. This agreement can be seen as a starting point, one of the first steps toward creating the conditions for all peoples, faiths, and differences to coexist in Syria.

Another critical aspect is the declaration of a nationwide ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities. Naturally, this will also lead to an end to the massacres of Alawites. Of course, this will not fix everything overnight or completely eliminate the risk of further massacres, but at the very least, it signifies a crucial step forward.

For the Kurds, this is already a major achievement. We are talking about a people who, just 15 years ago, did not even have official citizenship status. Now, they are becoming part of a new system, a new order, and a new state. This is immensely significant in terms of securing their identity, language, and future.

This development is not just for the Kurds; it applies to all peoples and faiths in Syria, especially Alawites. Everyone will be able to exist with their own identity and essence. From this perspective, I see it as a truly significant step."

The Baath regime should not be equated with Alawites

Fırat pointed out that Article 6, which has been widely debated in the public sphere, was initially perceived as alarming to Alawites. He emphasized that Alawites have been equated with the Baath regime, even though the regime itself was not an exclusively Alawite administration. He urged for the provisions of the agreement to be understood within Syria’s unique context. He said: "Article 6 is a major topic of discussion in the public sphere. In this article, remnants of the Assad regime are referred to as ‘leftovers of the old regime.’ This is understandably concerning for Alawites because they have long been conflated with the old system, the government, Assad himself, and the Baath regime. As a result, this language is perceived as an attack, and that is how it is being interpreted. Of course, such an interpretation, especially for Alawites in Syria and for all of us, raises serious concerns and discomfort. However, it is crucial to assess each article within Syria’s specific conditions and to interpret it accordingly.

Equating Alawites with the remnants of the regime or defining them as such is completely unacceptable, regardless of who says it. However, officials from SDF and the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria have made critical statements on this issue. They have clarified that this was not the intention and reaffirmed that every identity, faith, and people in Syria must be able to exist with their own identity. Furthermore, the preliminary agreement explicitly states that hate speech, mistreatment, and the targeting of any group will not be tolerated.

That being said, I want to make one thing clear: we know that jihadist, Salafist, and ISIS-like groups seek to massacre, take revenge on, and even commit genocide against Alawites in Syria. It would be misleading to say that everything has been resolved with this preliminary agreement and that there are no longer any problems. We are only at the very beginning of this process. There is an urgent need for democratic politics, the Alawite community, civil society, Turkey, international powers, the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), and various human rights organizations to remain actively engaged in this process. A monitoring delegation must be sent to the region, a humanitarian corridor must be opened from Hatay, and those responsible for these massacres, particularly within HTS and other groups, must be held accountable and brought to justice."