Syria at a Crossroads

June 5, 2025

Press Statement: Syria at a Crossroads: Alawite Executions Underscore Urgent Need for U.S. Leadership to Protect Vulnerable Minorities

Washington, D.C. — The Alawite Association of the United States expresses grave concern over the reported summary execution of five Alawite civilians in Damascus earlier this week. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the men were detained by security forces on Sunday and later found dead at Al-Mujtahid Hospital—shot without trial. A seventh member of the same group remains missing, and the surviving driver is currently receiving treatment.

This latest incident follows a systematic pattern of ethnic cleansing with killings occurring weekly following the March massacre of over 1,700 Alawites on Syria’s coast, where entire families were targeted in sectarian killings. Witnesses report that armed men went door to door, asking residents their religion before deciding who would live or die. These atrocities form a clear pattern of persecution and underscore the growing vulnerability of Syria’s religious minorities amid political transition.

The emergence of Syria’s new interim government presents both an opportunity and a test. For any future governance structure to be viable, it must uphold fundamental human rights and guarantee the safety and political inclusion of all communities—including Alawites, Christians, Druze, Ismailis, and others who have long been excluded and endangered.

We call on the U.S. Administration and Congress to act swiftly and decisively to prevent further atrocities and press the Syrian interim government to:

● Protect Minority Communities: Demand immediate safeguards for religious and ethnic minorities, including protection from unlawful detention and sectarian violence.

● Ensure Political Representation: Require that all future Syrian governance structures reflect the country’s full diversity, in accordance with UN Resolution 2254.

● Maintain Accountability: Oppose the delisting of extremist groups such as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) until concrete guarantees for minority rights and full political participation are implemented.

● Secure Humanitarian Equity: Ensure that U.S. sanctions and aid efforts are conditioned on equitable treatment of all Syrian communities.

● Support Victims of Sectarian Violence: Press for transparent investigations into recent killings, the release of religious and political prisoners, and protection for women facing systemic discrimination.

A Call for U.S. Moral and Strategic Leadership

As Syrian Americans and members of a community deeply affected by this violence, we urge the U.S. government to stand firmly for pluralism, rule of law, and equal dignity for all Syrians. Without urgent action, the promise of Syria’s transition may be derailed by the same forces of extremism and exclusion that have defined its past.

We urge Congress and the Administration to make clear: A just Syria must be an inclusive Syria.

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For media inquiries or to schedule an interview with representatives of the Alawite Association of the United States, please contact:

Dr. Morhaf Ibrahim

Alawites Association of the United States

info@AlawitesAssociation.org

+1202-599-4459