Syria’s Alawite Community Under Attack as Gunmen Kill Ten in Hama
According to the observatory, the attack took place in the village of Arza in northern Hama, where gunmen carried out an execution-style massacre, using “silenced firearms” to target residents.
Feb. 1, 2025
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – At least ten people were killed late Friday when armed assailants stormed a village inhabited by Alawites in Syria’s central Hama province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SPHR) reported on Saturday.
According to the observatory, the attack took place in the village of Arza in northern Hama, where gunmen carried out an execution-style massacre, using “silenced firearms” to target residents.
The victims were all civilians from the Alawite sect, the same religious minority as ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The killings come amid a surge in revengeful violence following the overthrow of the Syrian government by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a hardline Islamist faction that has since taken control of the country.
The group's fighters have been conducting a series of punitive actions against former intelligence operatives and Assad loyalists.
The incident has heightened fears among Syria’s minority communities, particularly the Alawites, who worry about the potential for large-scale reprisals at the hands of HTS militants.
Concerns over sectarian violence have escalated as the group consolidates its authority.
Meanwhile, Syria’s new ruling coalition has named HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa as the head of the country’s transitional government for a four-year term.
His appointment signals a dramatic shift in Syria’s political landscape, raising further questions about the fate of those who were affiliated with the former regime.
The attack in Hama underscores the fragile security situation in Syria and the potential for escalating sectarian violence as the new ruling authorities exert their control.