Homs unrest: Alawites urge sit-ins over Damascus “extremist” policies
Shafaq News – Damascus
Syria’s top Alawite religious authority on Monday accused the Syrian government of “exclusionary” policies following the deadly incident in Homs that heightened sectarian tensions.
In a recorded address, Sheikh Ghazal Ghazal, head of the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria and the Diaspora, described Syria as “a battleground for sectarian score-settling,” saying the Alawite community had never prioritized sectarian identity and had surrendered its weapons to a state it believed belonged to all Syrians. He argued that this trust was met with “an extremist authority that turned the Sunni component into an instrument for its politics.”
He urged Sunnis, Alawites, Druze, Kurds, and Christians to join a peaceful nationwide sit-in to halt what he described as “the machinery of killing and terror,” warning that the crisis must not be framed as an existential war.
“Our solutions are clear — federalism and political decentralization to guarantee our rights and yours,” he said.
Tensions rose on Sunday when a man and his wife were reportedly killed in their home in the town of Zaidal, south of Homs, triggering gunfire and property damage. Authorities imposed a curfew that was later lifted, with the Internal Security Directorate confirming continued security deployment to stabilize the area.
The Alawite Islamic Council held the Syrian government responsible for the escalation, alleging that Bedouin groups “supported by elements of the de facto authorities” attacked several Alawite neighborhoods in Homs. It called on the United Nations and the Security Council to dispatch an independent investigation team and ensure accountability under international law.
The Syrian Interior Ministry, however, denied any sectarian motive in the Zaidal killing, confirming that authorities have detained 120 individuals accused of committing violations.
