Asmaa Mohammed

Qamishlo — For years, Syria has been experiencing deep fragmentation due to accumulated crises and the intertwined political, security, and economic dimensions. As the country enters a transitional phase, alarming indicators threatening civil peace are growing, particularly due to the brutal practices committed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s jihadists against various sects and religions.

Dalal Khalil, the co-president of the Council of Religions and Beliefs in North and East Syria, spoke to our agency about the recent attacks on Alawite neighborhoods in the city of Homs. She said these incidents cannot be viewed as isolated; rather, they have an organized nature targeting a specific component and striking the foundations of coexistence.

She believes these attacks carry clear sectarian dimensions and reveal the fragility of security measures, which requires urgent and responsible intervention to protect civilians and prevent widening the divide among Syrian components before it is too late. “The country stands today at an extremely sensitive crossroads, and political and social forces must find a shared formula that prevents Syria from sliding further into division and conflict.”

 

The persistence of fragility warns of a new explosion

She explained that the current phase imposes an increased responsibility on all parties to rebuild the lost trust between components, ease tensions, and open the door for a stable transition that reflects the will of the people. Otherwise, the continuation of the current fragility warns of a new explosion that may be more dangerous and complex than anything before.

She affirmed that the council views the attacks by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s jihadists on Alawite neighborhoods as an extremely serious threat that cannot be taken lightly, because they directly target a specific component, which gives them an organized sectarian character that goes beyond individual or random crimes. “These attacks constitute collective intimidation messages that harm civil peace and open the door to a cycle of violence that may become difficult to contain if they continue or escalate.”

According to Dalal Khalil, the danger of these attacks lies not only in their physical impacts but also in their multiple dimensions — security, sectarian, social, political, and even psychological. “The repeated targeting of Alawite areas cannot be read as isolated incidents but rather as part of an organized pattern aimed at undermining coexistence and planting hostility among components, which threatens to turn current tensions into a long-term sectarian strife if not addressed swiftly and decisively.”

 

Protection is a duty that cannot be politicized or compromised

She stressed that what is required now is a neutral security deployment in sensitive areas and clear measures to hold those responsible for the attacks accountable, regardless of their backgrounds, in addition to preventing the use of religious or sectarian affiliation as a pretext to target civilians or manipulate their emotions.

Dalal Khalil emphasized the importance of coexistence and daily relations that bind sects and religions together and form one of the most vital guarantees of Syrian society’s survival and protection from disintegration. “The recent attacks struck this cohesive fabric and led many to doubt the effectiveness of political solutions and the authorities’ ability to protect communities, which may widen the gap of mistrust between people and governing entities if not addressed quickly and responsibly.”

Responsible discourse is the first line of defense

The council is currently working, she explained, on launching broad dialogue initiatives that bring together religious leaders and community figures to enhance communication and rebuild bridges between components. It is also calling for an end to the use of media and religious platforms for incitement, and instead encouraging a discourse centered on societal unity and rejecting retaliation. She pointed out that “responsible discourse is the first line of defense against attempts to sow division and exploit the current situation to weaken society. The failure to gain public trust remains one of the biggest challenges, as the attacks witnessed in the coastal region and Sweida and the targeting of places of worship in recent months revealed major security gaps. What is needed today is new laws developed with the participation of all parties and components, and the formation of joint security committees ensuring fair representation, along with deploying neutral forces capable of rapid intervention, in addition to launching a comprehensive national campaign against sectarianism that includes schools, media, and community institutions.”

She noted that the council previously launched the Coexistence Protection Program, which includes holding forums and meetings bringing together representatives of sects and religions with civil society to strengthen human bonds and create spaces for constructive dialogue. The program also includes a media campaign titled Anti-Sectarianism, aimed at confronting inflammatory rhetoric and reminding Syrians that coexistence is not a secondary option but a necessity for building a nation capable of overcoming its crises.

At the end of her statement, Dalal Khalil, co-president of the Council of Religions and Beliefs in North and East Syria, emphasized that the will of the people is the real foundation of any successful system. It is what grants legitimacy, directs policies, and ensures social stability. “Global experiences have shown that countries which respected the will of their citizens were able to build strong institutions capable of facing crises, while those that ignored their peoples’ voices drowned in divisions and conflicts. Therefore, all parties must listen to the voice of the people as the only path to building a stable and just future