How Syria evicts Alawites from homes at gunpoint, with minutes to leave

In late January, Um Hassan’s family, part of Syria’s Alawite minority, was violently evicted from their home in Damascus by masked men linked to the new regime under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has targeted Alawites as revenge for past affiliations with the Assad government. Since Sharaa’s takeover, reports indicate that hundreds, if not thousands, of Alawites have faced similar evictions, with officials suggesting these actions are part of a systematic sectarian purge. Human rights groups warn that these evictions may alter the city’s demographics, mirroring tactics previously employed by the Assad regime.