Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Turkish-backed militias, have engaged in ongoing violence and discrimination against Christians, Druze, and Shia Muslims, according to a report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Newsroom (08 July 2025, Gaudium Press ) Allies of Syria’s new government, including members of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Turkish-backed militias, have engaged in ongoing violence and discrimination against Christians, Druze, and Shia Muslims, according to a new report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The findings raise serious concerns about the transitional government’s commitment to religious liberty as it consolidates power following the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
The report details a pattern of mass killings, arson, and targeted persecutions against religious minorities, particularly Alawite Muslims, Druze, and Christians, during and after the revolution led by HTS, a group formerly affiliated with al-Qaeda. Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who commanded HTS during the uprising, has pledged to protect religious freedom. However, the USCIRF report highlights a troubling gap between these promises and the actions of government-affiliated groups, many of which include former al-Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS) operatives now holding high-ranking positions.
Escalating Violence Against Minorities
The report documents severe atrocities, particularly against Alawite Muslims, a Shia sect associated with the Assad regime. In December 2024, unidentified rebels burned civilian Alawite homes in Latakia and attacked an Alawite shrine in Aleppo. By January and February 2025, HTS loyalists conducted “door-to-door interrogations and select executions” of Alawites along Syria’s Mediterranean coast. The violence escalated in March, with sectarian massacres in Latakia and Tartus killing between 1,700 and 2,246 Alawites, according to confirmed tallies, though the actual toll may be higher. The report also notes kidnappings of Alawites as recently as May 2025.
Druze communities faced a “new wave of killings” starting in April 2025, with 134 people killed in a Damascus suburb by “militant Islamist” supporters of the government. Christians, too, have suffered, with the report citing the bombing of Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, which killed 25 worshippers, as a stark example of ongoing persecution. Syriac Orthodox Christians near Alawite-targeted areas reported three deaths in March, alongside other forms of harassment, including looting and intimidation at checkpoints.
Extremist Elements in Government
The USCIRF report raises alarms about the integration of known extremists into the new government. Intelligence chief Anas Khattab, a former al-Qaeda commander, and Abu Hatem Shaqra, a high-ranking military official implicated in ISIS-related executions and the trafficking of Yazidi women, are among those holding significant roles. The retention of HTS fighters, described as “the most militant violators of religious freedom” during the Syrian civil war, underscores the challenges of transitioning to an inclusive government.
Despite these concerns, the new Syrian leadership has taken steps to project an image of inclusivity. It thwarted a planned ISIS attack on a Shia shrine and held a one-day conference with minority religious representatives. However, the government’s stated intent to enshrine Islamic jurisprudence as “the major source of legislation” and its failure to explicitly protect non-Abrahamic religions like the Druze have raised doubts about its commitment to pluralism.
U.S. Policy and International Response
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has moved to engage with Syria’s new leadership, lifting sanctions and removing HTS’s designation as a terrorist organization. The USCIRF urges the U.S. to condition further sanction relief on concrete improvements in religious liberty and to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and groups perpetuating violations.
USCIRF Commissioner Mohamed Elsanousi emphasized the need for the Syrian government to align its actions with its rhetoric. “The U.S. administration must condition its lifting of sanctions with clear measures so that the emerging government fully abandons its extremist past, extends equal protection to all religious minorities, and enshrines comprehensive religious freedom into Syria’s laws and institutions,” Elsanousi told CNA.
Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern, described the situation as a “failure of Syria’s transitional government” to protect Christians, whose population has dwindled significantly since the civil war began. “This illegitimate regime, composed of rebranded al-Qaeda and ISIS operatives, has done little to curb radical Islam’s campaign to eradicate Christianity in Syria,” King said, calling for global advocacy to protect Syria’s religious minorities.
A Fragile Future
While the new government has vowed to govern inclusively over a five-year transitional period, the USCIRF report paints a grim picture of ongoing sectarian violence and systemic challenges. The bombing of Mar Elias Church and the massacres of Alawites and Druze serve as stark reminders of the threats facing Syria’s religious minorities. As the international community watches closely, the Syrian government’s ability to deliver on its promises of inclusivity will be critical to shaping the country’s future.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
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