On Thursday, Syria's newly established authorities launched a security operation in Tartous province, where 14 police officers were killed the previous day, and vowed to pursue remnants of the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime believed to be behind the attack, according to state media.
This violence in Tartous, a coastal region with a significant Alawite population loyal to Assad, marks the most significant challenge to the new Sunni Islamist-led authorities, who ousted Assad on December 8. The Alawite sect, a Shi'ite Muslim offshoot, had long held power under Assad, exerting significant control over security forces used to suppress opposition and dissent during Syria's 13-year civil war.
State-run news agency SANA reported that the authorities had launched the operation to "ensure security, stability, and civil peace, while targeting the remnants of Assad’s militias in the forests and hills." This move comes amid warnings from the Damascus government of efforts to spark sectarian conflict, following the circulation of a video showing a fire at an Alawite shrine in Aleppo. The interior ministry condemned the violence as the work of unidentified groups, with security forces working "day and night" to protect religious sites.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the former al-Qaeda affiliate leading the rebellion that ousted Assad, has consistently promised to safeguard minority communities. However, members of these groups, including Alawites, Christians, and others, are concerned that the new leadership might enforce an Islamist agenda.
In a predominantly Alawite neighborhood in Damascus, Sheikh Ali Dareer accused "third parties" of trying to incite discord after homes were vandalized and people beaten because of their religious identity. He also reported multiple instances of Alawites being assaulted at checkpoints, despite HTS assurances of respect for the Alawite sect.
Dareer emphasized that the Alawite community had made efforts to reconcile with the new government but had faced numerous violations. One HTS fighter confirmed an incident where Alawites were pulled from a bus and beaten but denied that HTS was responsible, attributing the actions to "sedition" and distancing the group from the violence.
Taher Dawwa, an Alawite and former Assad military volunteer, stressed that the mistakes of the past should not be blamed on any single sect and that the community did not seek division. Tensions over sectarianism have been present since the start of the conflict, as Assad relied on Shi'ite militias, particularly those mobilized by his Iranian ally, to counter the predominantly Sunni insurgency.
Sectarian divisions were further highlighted when protesters in Tartous chanted "Oh Ali," referencing Ali ibn Abi Talib, the revered figure of Shi'ite Muslims, particularly among Alawites, during a demonstration outside local government offices.
To address rising tensions, Mohammed Othman, the newly appointed governor of Latakia, met with Alawite leaders to promote community cohesion and civil peace, SANA reported. The Syrian information ministry also announced a ban on media content with a sectarian tone, warning against spreading division.
Iran, Assad's longtime ally, has expressed concern over the current situation in Syria. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently called for Syrian youth to resist those spreading insecurity in the country. In response, Syria's new foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, urged Iran to respect Syria's sovereignty and warned it against sowing chaos. He further emphasized that Iran would be held accountable for any destabilizing actions.