Violence Escalates Against Religious Minorities in Syria

Terror Groups Free to Attack Religious Minorities in Syria’s Latakia Province 

In February, terrorist groups assumed control of the government of Syria. In early March, they invaded Latakia Province in western Syria. Since then self-proclaimed president Ahmad al-Sharaa and his jihadist terrorists have been on a rampage, killing people across the coastal plain.

Al-Sharaa has targeted Alawites along with Kurds, Christians, and Druze communities.    

Major media outlets say the number killed in the area is around 1,000 people--but according to our sources on the ground this number is much higher. 

When the fighting first began, we heard the terrorists massacred anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 people. These numbers continue to increase by the hour as terrorists track down families who have fled into the hills. The number of killed may end up between 8,000 to 10,000.

The Atrocities Happening in Syria

Religious minority communities in western Syria have experienced random lootings and shootings. Two Alawite individuals were sitting outside having a cup of coffee and enjoying a conversation when terrorists shot them. They weren’t plotting anything, the terrorists killed them simply because they were Alawites.

The terrorist militia HTS storm into the homes of anyone who is not a Sunni Muslim aligned with al-Sharaa’s radical group. Terrorists pull men from their homes and execute them in the street.  

Religious minorities in Syria now live in a constant state of fear and panic. 

International Response to Religious Genocide 

When al-Sharaa took control of Syria in January 2025, few countries seemed concerned. However, when the religious genocide began, international response against the new al-Sharaa dictatorship began.  

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the “radical Islamist terrorists” behind the “massacres.” 

But it will take direct aid on the ground for the minority ethnic and faith components of Syria's population to recover.

Shai Fund Sends Aid to Religious Communities 

This year, we already airlifted aid into northeast Syria to support the persecuted religious minorities there.

Now with the targeted killings in the east, we are urgently working to help persecuted Christians and Alawites there find a safe place to live.   

At Shai Fund, we will continue to help all humans during times of terror and provide critical relief. We want to help build healthier, more resilient communities where every human is treated with dignity.

This update is from an interview Charmaine Hedding did with CBN Jerusalem Dateline on March 10, 2025.