Violent protests erupt in Syria following alleged attack on Alawite shrine

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Thousands took to the streets in several parts of the war-torn Syria on Wednesday following the circulation of a video purportedly showing an attack on an Alawite shrine in the country’s north, a war monitor reported.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which relies on a network of sources across the country, reported that state security forces imposed a curfew in Homs, the coastal city of Baniyas, Latakia, Tartous, and Jableh in response to demonstrations in the Alawite-majority areas. The protests were sparked by allegations of an attack on Abu Abdullah al-Hussein bin Hamdan al-Khasibi shrine in Aleppo province.

Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was recently ousted, hails from an Alawite family.

The observatory reported that at least one person was killed and five others were injured during demonstrations in Homs, where reports of gunfire were also documented.

Syria’s new administration, under Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), reacted to the alleged attack on a shrine in Aleppo province, stating that the video being circulated is old.

“We confirm that the circulated video is an old video dating back to the period of the liberation of the city of Aleppo, which was produced by unknown groups,” Syrian state media, SANA, said on X, citing a statement from the interior ministry.

It claimed that the video was republished “to stir up strife among the Syrian people.”

The curfew will run from 6pm Wednesday to 8am the next day.

Alawites, commonly believed to be an offshoot of Shiite Islam, hold distinctive beliefs, including the divine nature of Ali ibn Abi Talib, which sets them apart from mainstream Shiite and Sunni Muslims, who regard him as a caliph.

Pro-HTS media published footage of security reinforcements entering Homs and Tartous, claiming they were deployed “to implement security measures.”

Earlier this month, following the collapse of the Assad regime, Daniel Sulaiman, a 25-year-old Alawite, told Rudaw that members of his community are living in fear of potential retaliation from Islamist rebels and individuals harboring long-standing grudges against the Assad regime. He said Alawite towns have become heavily armed as residents prepare for possible attacks, noting that incidents of old disputes escalating into violence have already occurred amid the growing security vacuum.