Sectarian Violence Hits Damascus: Alawite Men Abducted Amid Syria’s Coastal Unrest

 Damascus, March 27, 2025 – In the early hours of March 7, as sectarian violence erupted in western Syria, masked gunmen raided Alawite homes in Damascus’s al-Qadam neighborhood, abducting over two dozen unarmed men, according to twelve eyewitnesses interviewed by Reuters. Among those taken were a retired teacher, an engineering student, and a mechanic—all members of the Alawite minority sect associated with ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

The abductions followed a nascent insurgency launched by Assad-loyal Alawites in Syria’s coastal region, approximately 200 miles northwest of the capital, on March 6. That uprising triggered a wave of retaliatory killings along the coast, claiming hundreds of Alawite lives. Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, told Reuters that he deployed forces on March 7 to quell the coastal violence. However, he acknowledged that some fighters acted without authorization from the defense ministry, complicating efforts to restore order.

Amid growing fears of a broader sectarian conflict, Sharaa’s administration has sought to downplay the violence as a localized issue, appointing a fact-finding committee to investigate the coastal incidents. Yet, the eyewitness accounts from al-Qadam reveal that sectarian strife has reached the capital’s southern outskirts, just kilometers from the presidential palace—a development previously unreported.

“They broke down the doors of every Alawite home and dragged the men out,” said one resident, whose 48-year-old relative, telecom engineer Ihsan Zeidan, was seized in the pre-dawn raid. “They took him solely because he’s Alawite.” All witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fears of reprisal.

The al-Qadam district, known for its significant Alawite population, saw at least 25 men taken, according to the witnesses. Relatives and neighbors confirmed that at least eight were later found dead—either through photographs of their bodies or discoveries nearby—while the fate of the others remains unknown.

Four witnesses reported that some of the armed men identified themselves as members of the General Security Service (GSS), a newly formed Syrian agency staffed by former rebels and operating under the interior ministry. An interior ministry spokesperson denied targeted action against Alawites, stating, “Security forces are confiscating weapons from all sects.” The spokesperson declined to address further questions about the alleged abductions of unarmed men.

Yasser Farhan, spokesperson for the government’s investigative committee, told Reuters that its focus remains on the coastal violence and has not yet extended to al-Qadam. “There may be future discussions to broaden our scope,” he added.

Alawites, who make up roughly 10% of Syria’s population, are concentrated in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus but also have sizable communities in Damascus and cities like Homs and Hama.

Human Rights Watch researcher Hiba Zayadin called for a comprehensive probe into the alleged raids. “Families deserve clarity, and authorities must hold perpetrators accountable, regardless of their affiliations,” Zayadin said. “Without justice, this cycle of violence and impunity will persist.”

Among the confirmed dead in Damascus were four members of one extended family: Mohsen Mahmoud Badran, 77; Fadi Mohsen Badran, 41; Ayham Hussein Badran, 40, born with a hand deformity that exempted him from military service; and their brother-in-law Firas Mohammad Maarouf, 45. A relative who escaped the raid by hiding upstairs with the family’s children said they sought the bodies at Mujtahid Hospital in central Damascus. Staff denied access to the morgue and directed them to the local GSS branch, where an official displayed photos of the four men, deceased, on a phone. No cause of death was provided, and the bodies’ whereabouts remain unknown.

Four other men abducted that night were found in a nearby orchard with gunshot wounds, suggesting execution-style killings, according to another resident. Reuters could not independently verify this account. Most of those taken, including 25-year-old university student Ali Rustom and his 65-year-old father, Tamim Rustom, a retired math teacher, remain missing. “We have no proof, no bodies, no answers,” a relative said.

The family of mechanic Rabih Aqel said inquiries at police stations and security agencies yielded no information, drawing comparisons to enforced disappearances under Assad’s regime. Witnesses expressed frustration that the fact-finding committee has not contacted them, with Farhan confirming its current focus on coastal districts.

Residents of al-Qadam reported feeling targeted as Alawites, with some fleeing the area. One woman in her sixties said she plans to sell her home to protect her husband and sons. “After this, all I want is to leave,” she told Reuters.