Sectarian Tensions Resurface in Syria

In the months following Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, Syria has witnessed a wave of sectarian violence targeting minority communities.

In April 2025, deadly clashes erupted in Druze-majority areas near Damascus and Suwayda after a viral recording sparked tensions, resulting in over 100 deaths and prompting Israeli strikes to protect Druze civilians.

Just weeks earlier, in March, Alawite communities in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus suffered mass killings following retaliatory attacks linked to clashes with regime loyalists, leaving over 1,000 dead.

The interim government has launched investigations, while international bodies have called for de-escalation and the protection of civilians amid the country’s fragile transition.