The complexities of ongoing conflict in Syria are poignantly reflected in the experiences of the Alawite community, particularly in Latakia, a coastal city that serves as their heartland. The article titled “Fear of a reckoning simmers in Assad’s Alawite heartland,” unveils the struggles faced by individuals inhabiting this region following a significant regime change. The narrative centers around a woman named Noor, who embodies the vulnerability and trepidation felt by many of her community.
Noor’s plight begins as she visits the offices of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the new de facto rulers of the area, to lodge a complaint about being forcibly evicted from her home. Dressed in winter attire, she discloses an alarming incident that transpired just days prior. Noor, a mother and wife of an army officer, recounts a chilling evening when armed men arrived in a black van, rudely disrupting her family’s lives. They not only ousted Noor and her family from their apartment but proceeded to move their own family into her home. The emotional turmoil is palpable as Noor’s fears surface—highlighted by her tears that punctuate the gravity of her situation.
Latakia, with its significant Alawite population, has been deeply impacted by the broader sectarian divisions that have shaped the war in Syria. Noor represents the Alawites—a sect deeply intertwined with the Assad regime—whose members now grapple with potential repercussions after the regime’s downfall. Historically, the Assad regime had cleverly manipulated sectarian divides to maintain power, leaving many Alawites anxious about inevitable retribution as HTS, a Sunni Islamist group, exerts authority in the wake of the regime’s collapse. With the fear of retribution looming, many in Noor’s community remain confined to their homes, clinging to the notion that this is merely a transitional phase.
Noor’s story further unravels as she shows CCTV footage of the relentless assailants to HTS’s general security commander, Abu Ayoub. The images reveal men with military attire and civilian clothes on her doorstep, an unsettling juxtaposition of the former regime’s loyalists and the challengers of the current order. Despite HTS’s promise to uphold plurality in governance, the palpable fear among the Alawite population indicates that the assumption of power by a new group has not diminished the community’s anxiety.
As the narrative unfolds further, we see that Noor is not alone in her distress. Others recount similar harrowing tales of intrusion and violence. One man, sporting visible injuries, shares how armed men broke into his home, causing harm to his family. The new authority of HTS appears reluctant yet committed to restoring order amidst chaos—struggles that blur the lines between law enforcement and the violent past that communities like Noor’s have endured.
Emblematic of a society in upheaval, the commentary presents the HTS as a controversial yet functional governing body, having morphed from former adversaries to those wielding authority. Their commitment to law enforcement is accompanied by a responsibility to defuse ongoing tension, especially for communities like Noor’s, who fear retribution.
In what can be seen as a dual narrative of liberation and retribution, Noor’s case shifts from one of despair to a surprising flicker of faith in HTS as she is promised assistance in reclaiming her home. As HTS officers forcibly evict squatters from Noor’s apartment, she is conflicted—grateful for the recovery of her belongings but painfully aware of the fragility of her newfound reality. The very fact that she had to seek help from a group that once represented many of her community’s nightmares exposes the harsh complexities and transitions at play in post-Assad Syria.
In conclusion, the article encapsulates the overarching theme of fear among the Alawites in Latakia, showcasing how a narrative of liberation can also present new challenges. Quotes from Noor and others highlight an erosion of safety and a transformation in community dynamics, as the collapse of the Assad regime gives rise to a new fear of a reckoning. The overall sentiment towers around uncertainty—while those like Noor harbor hope for a peaceful future, the memories of oppression linger, creating a profound hesitation to trust in the promise of security.
