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Assad, Bashar al-

Sectarian Violence in Syria: A Cycle of Bloodshed Amidst Inclusivity Promises

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Syria's fragile transition is witnessing a surge in sectarian violence, with over 100 Druze community members killed since May. This crisis is linked to the misuse of "nafir aam," a general call to arms, which was initially declared in response to the Assad family's 53-year rule. Extremist groups have exploited this term to target innocent civilians. The same sectarian machinery has been turned against the Druze community, despite the transitional government's promises of inclusivity. The Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has vowed to protect minorities, but the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is failing to deliver on its promises of tolerant governance. The national dialogue conference, which began in February, lacked representation from minority groups, and the resulting constitutional declaration centralises power, undermining pluralism.

Key Takeaways:

  • The misuse of "nafir aam" has contributed to the surge in sectarian violence in Syria, with over 100 Druze community members killed since May.
  • The Syrian transitional government is led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has vowed to deliver inclusive governance but has failed to do so.
  • The national dialogue conference, which began in February, lacked representation from minority groups, including Alawites, Kurds, and Druze.
  • The resulting constitutional declaration centralises power, undermining pluralism and explicitly states that the "religion of the president of the republic is Islam" and "Islamic jurisprudence is the principal source of legislation."
  • Criticisms have been made over the inclusion of controversial figures in the Civil Peace Committee, which is tasked with healing the sectarian wounds left by Assad family rule.
  • Civil society organisations have called on the government to issue protective religious rulings for minority communities, but their appeals have gone unanswered.
  • Prominent Syrian intellectual Yassin al-Haj Saleh argues that Syria urgently needs a period of de-escalation and genuine political concessions to break the cycle of sectarian violence.

Statistics:

  • Over 100 Druze community members have been killed since May.
  • Close to 1,400 Alawite civilians were murdered in March, with the final death toll likely to be much higher.
  • The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported a surge in violence, particularly against Alawites in Homs and Aleppo.
  • The Brussels donors' conference on Syria in March saw Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani blame "54 years of minority rule" for mass displacement and deaths.

Sources:

  • The Conversation UK
  • Syria's Ministry of Information
  • Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
  • The Telegraph
  • BBC News
  • The Guardian
  • Al Jazeera
  • Reuters
  • Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani's speech at the Brussels donors' conference on Syria in March

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