Megan Basham

So they, the Sunni HTS rebel group, then began targeting provinces that are known to be Alawite, which is the Shia Muslim sect Assad belongs to. They've also been killing Christians, Kurds, and Druze as mosques in these regions have started calling on people to wage jihad.

So they, the Sunni HTS rebel group, then began targeting provinces that are known to be Alawite, which is the Shia Muslim sect Assad belongs to. They've also been killing Christians, Kurds, and Druze as mosques in these regions have started calling on people to wage jihad.

Now, humanitarian groups say Northwest Syria has been ethnically cleansed of Christians and Kurds and that whole families are being slaughtered. Essentially, they say that what started as small spurts of random vigilantism has now progressed into large-scale organized violence.

Now, humanitarian groups say Northwest Syria has been ethnically cleansed of Christians and Kurds and that whole families are being slaughtered. Essentially, they say that what started as small spurts of random vigilantism has now progressed into large-scale organized violence.

The evangelical news outlet World Magazine interviewed several Syrian Christians now in hiding, and one described seeing a convoy of military vehicles and tanks that stretched for miles entering the main street of his town before the militants began shooting everything in sight. He said he watched them kill four young civilians right in front of him while shouting, "'We will behead you, pigs.'"

The evangelical news outlet World Magazine interviewed several Syrian Christians now in hiding, and one described seeing a convoy of military vehicles and tanks that stretched for miles entering the main street of his town before the militants began shooting everything in sight. He said he watched them kill four young civilians right in front of him while shouting, "'We will behead you, pigs.'"

And it's not just executions. Residents of Christian and Alawite cities and villages are also being displaced and their property is being seized. So across the country, HTS soldiers are allegedly harassing young Christians for not adhering to strict Sunni customs, like demanding Christian women cover up in Muslim garb. They've also reportedly been targeting men who have Christian tattoos.

And it's not just executions. Residents of Christian and Alawite cities and villages are also being displaced and their property is being seized. So across the country, HTS soldiers are allegedly harassing young Christians for not adhering to strict Sunni customs, like demanding Christian women cover up in Muslim garb. They've also reportedly been targeting men who have Christian tattoos.

In some areas like Damascus, Christians are protesting against but thousands are also fleeing to Lebanon or Russia as Putin was Assad's ally. And then one other interesting note here, the Alawites who again are Shia Muslims are calling on Israel to quote, save them from the brutal regime. In a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu, they wrote, we are a minority like you in the Middle East, help us.

In some areas like Damascus, Christians are protesting against but thousands are also fleeing to Lebanon or Russia as Putin was Assad's ally. And then one other interesting note here, the Alawites who again are Shia Muslims are calling on Israel to quote, save them from the brutal regime. In a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu, they wrote, we are a minority like you in the Middle East, help us.

And if you reach the Syrian coast, which is mostly Alawite, you will be received with songs and flowers. Hmm. So are these attacks religiously motivated or are there other factors as well? I would say it's both. Syria has been embroiled in civil war for more than a decade now, and those skirmishes are still continuing.

And if you reach the Syrian coast, which is mostly Alawite, you will be received with songs and flowers. Hmm. So are these attacks religiously motivated or are there other factors as well? I would say it's both. Syria has been embroiled in civil war for more than a decade now, and those skirmishes are still continuing.

So in rural areas where HTS has a weaker grip on power, targeting these religious minorities helps them exert some greater control. And also part of this is class-based, as the Alawites are more associated with the political elites, as Assad was. But, you know, this is a catch-22 that we see so often in the Middle East.

So in rural areas where HTS has a weaker grip on power, targeting these religious minorities helps them exert some greater control. And also part of this is class-based, as the Alawites are more associated with the political elites, as Assad was. But, you know, this is a catch-22 that we see so often in the Middle East.

Though Assad was by no means a good leader, he and his father before him did keep the region relatively stable. And those who opposed the U.S. meddling and trying to unseat him were concerned about these very kinds of alternatives. In fact, when President Trump first ran for office in 2016, he criticized Hillary Clinton over her support for arming anti-Assad rebel groups.

Though Assad was by no means a good leader, he and his father before him did keep the region relatively stable. And those who opposed the U.S. meddling and trying to unseat him were concerned about these very kinds of alternatives. In fact, when President Trump first ran for office in 2016, he criticized Hillary Clinton over her support for arming anti-Assad rebel groups.

This is what he told CNN at the time.

This is what he told CNN at the time.

And to that point, Syria's new president, Ahmad al-Sharra, who replaced Assad, is himself a former Islamic State and al-Qaeda terrorist.

And to that point, Syria's new president, Ahmad al-Sharra, who replaced Assad, is himself a former Islamic State and al-Qaeda terrorist.