Syria’s Division: The Alawites

Quick Overview

The Assad family established a system of deep loyalty by disproportionately granting power and leading positions within the military and intelligence apparatus to the Alawite minority, despite them being a minority group, which fostered grievances among the Sunni majority and led to the formation of anti-regime militias, some of which explicitly called for the extermination of Alawites.

Key Points: The Assad family built a system of deep loyalty relying heavily on the Alawite minority, which secured key positions in the military and intelligence agencies. While the Sunni majority constitutes 70% of the nation, Alawites were heavily represented in leading positions and decision-making roles within security forces. This favoritism created grievances for the Sunni majority against the Alawites, leading to the rise of opposition movements, including early peaceful protests met with government violence (0:52). General Talal Makhlouf, Assad's cousin and former commander of the Republican Guard (Special Forces), was leading Division Two when chemical weapons were allegedly deployed against a Damascus suburb (1:13-1:23). Assad also formed militias from the Alawite community, like the Shabiha, to quell the uprising (0:46-0:50). Some opposition factions, including HTS fighters, have engaged in ethnic cleansing, claiming to have ruined cities like Jableh (1:44-1:53). The response to the uprising was swift and brutal, and there is a lack of accountability for officials who committed violations against Syrians (1:42, 2:36).

Context: This video explains the deep sectarian division in Syria, focusing on the role and power structure maintained by the ruling Assad family through the Alawite ethno-religious minority. Historically, the Alawites faced persecution, but under the Assads (Hafez and later Bashar), they became the core of the regime's power structure, particularly within the military and intelligence sectors, creating a reliance that alienated the Sunni majority.