Assault on Syrian Alawite Mosque Highlights Broader Persecution of Minority
On September 25, an armed group wearing masks stormed the Imam Ja’afar al-Sadiq Mosque in the Al-Nuzhah neighborhood, an area with a predominantly Alawite population.
The attackers beat the muezzin and threatened to kill him for including the phrase “Hayya ‘ala khayr al-‘amal” (“Hasten to the best of deeds”) in the call to prayer, a wording associated with the Ja’afari (Shia) tradition. According to witnesses, the men claimed they had warned him before not to repeat it, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Saturday.
The following day, police deployed security personnel to protect Friday prayers but admitted they could not guarantee safety at other times. This was not the first incident: four months earlier, the mosque’s previous muezzin was also assaulted, and the imam was threatened at gunpoint.
In response, the Alawite Islamic Council in Homs announced it would suspend religious services at the mosque until authorities can ensure worshippers’ safety.
The mosque, built in 1963 with community donations, had never before ceased prayers.
The targeting of the mosque reflects a wider pattern of hostility toward Alawites across Syria following the fall of former President Bashar Assad and the rise of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) group.
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A report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on September 23 documented large-scale abuses carried out earlier this year in Alawi-majority areas following insurgent attacks on the coast.
Between March 7 and 10, HTS forces and allied groups swept through more than 30 towns and villages in Tartous, Latakia, and Hama. According to HRW, the raids left at least 1,400 people dead and entire communities devastated.
Survivors described house-to-house searches where attackers demanded residents declare their sect before deciding their fate. Witnesses told investigators that looting, arson, and summary executions were widespread, with many families killed in their homes.
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HRW noted that atrocities were often accompanied by anti-Alawi slurs and degrading abuse, including elderly men beaten on camera and detainees forced to crawl before being shot.
The report concluded that the attacks were part of a centrally coordinated military operation overseen by Syria’s administration. While authorities later acknowledged “infractions” and announced investigations, HRW said the scale and consistency of violations indicated systematic targeting based on identity.
Source: Agencies
