The attacks against Alawites in Syria, which started on 6 March, continue. According to the data released by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) on 14 March, more than 1,500 Alawites were massacred. Alawite citizen named Zeen, who lives in Syria and did not want his surname to be written due to security concerns, spoke about the attacks in the region. 

 

Stating that Alawites suffered great poverty during the Assad regime, Zeen said that they are now facing the risk of death at any moment. Stating that there were horrible massacres against the Alawites, Zeen said that some Alawites who survived the massacre took refuge in Hmeymim, the Russian Air Base. Zeen said, "Women, children and religious scholars were killed. There are checkpoints everywhere. When you stop at a checkpoint, they search your phone and ask your sect. If you say you are Alawi, they beat you. Women are forced to wear headscarves. I have relatives who were killed. They raid houses. They beat families and take young people away. There was a little security under Assad. The situation is not good under Colani administration. We live in fear every day."

 

Stating that Suni people were settled in the areas where Alawites lived, Zeen added: "We have seen a lot of violence. They dismissed many teachers and doctors and replaced them with people close to them from Idlib. They burnt people's livelihoods. Cars were burnt and blown up. There is nothing left. Our brothers were killed, houses were robbed and belongings were taken to Idlib city. Funerals are burnt and left on the roads. We ask for international protection. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) should show solidarity with us. We hear that they organise protests and talk about us, but the best thing for us is international protection. We just want to live in security and peace."