What to Know About Syria’s Druse, Alawites and Kurds as Sectarian Violence Rises

The Syrian rebels who overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December aim to unify the country, yet sectarian violence persists, raising concerns among minority groups about protection from extremist factions. Recent attacks, including one by Islamist fighters against the Druse minority near Damascus, have heightened tensions, while a coordinated assault by Alawite groups resulted in mass killings, revealing the new government’s fragile control. Additionally, the Kurds, who have an autonomous region, remain skeptical of the new leadership due to its ties with Turkey and past affiliations with extremist groups.

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