The rebels who overthrew Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December have pledged to unify the country. However, ongoing sectarian violence has raised concerns among Syria’s minority groups about the new government's ability to protect them from extremist factions, primarily due to its Sunni Arab majority composition.
In late April, Islamist fighters attacked neighborhoods in Damascus, resulting in numerous casualties among the Druse minority. In response, Israel conducted airstrikes and issued threats against Syrian government forces to defend the Druse population.
This violence follows a March incident in which extremist fighters killed approximately 1,600 individuals, primarily from the Alawite minority, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Some of these attackers were identified as belonging to extremist factions within the rebel coalition that previously overthrew the Assad regime. Although the new authorities promised to consolidate rebel factions into a national army, many extremist groups remain outside government control.
Several Syrian minorities, including the Druse, Alawites, and Kurds, have formed their own armed groups. The Druse and Kurds established militias during the prolonged civil war and have retained their arms since its conclusion. Additionally, some former Alawite members of the Assad regime are now opposing the new government.
The Druse community, an influential minority in Syria, adheres to a unique interpretation of Islam. Powerful Druse militias control the province of Sweida, a strategically significant area bordering Jordan and near Israel. Violence recently erupted in Druse-populated areas following the circulation of a controversial audio clip attributed to a Druse cleric. The cleric denied the claims, and initial investigations suggested he was not responsible.
Israel has historically maintained close ties with the Druse community and has offered protection against potential attacks. However, many Syrian Druse leaders have declined Israel's support.
The Alawites, who represent about 10 percent of Syria's population and are an offshoot of Shiite Islam, have faced hostility due to their association with the Assad regime, which often favored Alawites in security and military roles. Sectarian violence erupted on the Mediterranean coast when armed groups linked to the ousted regime attacked new government forces, leading to retaliatory violence against Alawites, including actions by some government soldiers.
The Kurds, another significant ethnic group comprising about 10 percent of the population, have established an autonomous region in northeastern Syria with U.S. backing. Their governing militia, the Syrian Democratic Forces, agreed to integrate their military and resources into the central government, a move perceived with skepticism by many Kurds due to the new leadership's former affiliations and its alignment with Turkey, which opposes Kurdish autonomy.
Finally, Syria's Christian population, which constituted about 10 percent of the population before the war, has dwindled significantly, with estimates suggesting approximately 5 percent remain. Historically, Christians have supported the Assad regime, viewing it as a protector of minority rights. Despite the ongoing challenges, Easter celebrations occurred without incident in the historically Christian quarter of Bab Touma in Damascus.