Alawites flee Damascus neighborhood after death threats

Dozens of families from an Alawite-majority district in Damascus have abandoned their homes after armed groups threatened them with death, raising fresh concerns over the community’s survival in the Syrian capital under Islamist control, residents told AFP.

The forced departures come in the wake of a brutal massacre in March, when hundreds of civilians were killed in Syria’s coastal Alawite stronghold. That attack deepened fears of collective punishment against the sect, which had long held a privileged position under former president Bashar al-Assad, himself an Alawite.

Threats in Al-Sumaria

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that gunmen stormed the Al-Sumaria neighborhood in western Damascus last Thursday, warning residents that they would lose all property if they did not leave within two days. Witnesses described the assailants as masked or clad in black uniforms similar to those once worn by security forces.

“Armed men are passing by, ordering us to leave our homes or they will kill us,” said a 20-year-old journalism student who requested anonymity. “We’ve collected what belongings we can and will leave today, not knowing where we are headed.”

The Observatory confirmed that families were already being forced out, often under violent conditions. Evictions were reportedly accompanied by intimidation tactics, including beatings with electric batons.

A Pattern of Expulsions

The expulsion of Alawite families in Damascus is not an isolated event. Since Assad was ousted by Islamist-led rebels in December, neighborhoods outside the sect’s traditional coastal heartland have witnessed a series of armed evictions. The campaign has fueled fears of sectarian reprisals against Alawites, who were closely associated with Assad’s rule for decades.

Residents say the threats are real and immediate, undermining official attempts to reassure the community. “The threats are stronger than the assurances. We see the threats on the ground, while the reassurances only appear on social media,” said Youssef, a 39-year-old father. Once a civil servant, he lost his job shortly after Assad’s downfall and has since decided to flee Damascus. “There’s no room for gambling with our lives. I have children, and I fear for them,” he explained as he prepared to move his family to Maryamin, a predominantly Alawite town in Homs province near the sect’s coastal homeland.

Authorities Struggle to Contain the Crisis

Local officials have sought to calm the situation. Al-Sumaria mayor Mazhar Shoeir insisted that order had been restored, claiming that a special committee had been established to investigate violations and prevent further abuses. “I assure residents that the situation has stabilized and they should stay in their homes and not leave them,” Shoeir told AFP. He added that monitoring teams would ensure safety, promising visible improvements “in the coming hours.”

But on the ground, trust in such assurances remains scarce. Many residents believe authorities lack the ability—or the will—to protect them from armed groups. For families who have already begun their exodus, the risk of staying far outweighs any promises from officials.

The Uncertain Future of Damascus’ Alawites

The displacement of Alawite families from Damascus highlights a deeper question about the sect’s future in a post-Assad Syria. Long identified with the state’s ruling elite, the community now faces the prospect of marginalization, forced migration, or even targeted violence.

As the conflict drags on, the erosion of security for minority groups like the Alawites underscores the broader collapse of social cohesion in Syria. For many who once lived in the capital, the choice is no longer between safety and risk, but between fleeing with little and staying at the cost of their lives.