The rebel forces that ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad last December have pledged to reunite the country. However, ongoing sectarian clashes have fueled anxiety among Syria’s minority populations, who fear that the new government—dominated by the Sunni Arab majority—may be unable or unwilling to shield them from extremist threats.
In late April, Islamist militants launched deadly assaults on neighborhoods around the capital, Damascus, areas predominantly inhabited by the Druse minority. In response, Israel carried out airstrikes and warned of potential further action to protect the Druse community.
These incidents followed attacks two months earlier when thousands of extremist fighters targeted Syria’s coastal regions, killing approximately 1,600 people, primarily from the Alawite minority, according to conflict monitoring organizations.
Reports suggest that some of these militants were affiliated with the more radical elements within the rebel coalition that removed the Assad regime. Despite commitments by the new authorities to incorporate all rebel factions into a unified national army, many extremist groups continue to operate independently beyond government control.
Several of Syria’s key minority groups—including the Druse, Alawites, and Kurds—have also established their own armed militias. Both the Druse and Kurds formed militias during the nearly 14-year civil war and have maintained their weapons since the conflict’s end. Additionally, some Alawite individuals formerly aligned with the Assad government have taken up arms against the current regime.
Below is an overview of Syria’s complex and diverse minority communities.
