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The Western Syria Alliance reports a sharp escalation in sectarian violence in Syria, documenting killings, kidnappings, and attacks on religious sites affecting Alawite and Christian communities.
Published
December 26, 2025
Read Time
7 min read
Author
Dr. Sarah Al-Ali
The Western Syria Alliance warns of a dangerous escalation in sectarian violence in Syria, following international engagement and the lifting of certain sanctions based on commitments made by Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani) to protect religious and ethnic minorities — commitments that have demonstrably failed in practice.
The Alawite village of Babdeh in Syrias coastal region has been subjected to direct attacks under the pretext of pursuing so-called "remnants" — a justification that has become a cover for systematic killings carried out with complete impunity. The shelling resulted in the killing of civilians solely because of their sectarian identity, including the death of an elderly, disabled man after his home was demolished on top of him.
On December 26, 2025, the Imam Ali Mosque in Homs — where unarmed Alawite civilians were performing Friday prayers — was targeted in a bombing, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries among the worshippers.
Additional killings were carried out by forces known as the so-called "General Security," including the killing of brothers Hussein and Mohsen Ahmad al-Salloum while working on their farm in the village of Basīn, Hama Governorate.
Sectarian kidnappings have likewise intensified: four Alawite young men were abducted while traveling to Aleppo for work, and their fate remains unknown to this day.
Christian communities have not been spared. Documented violations include:
| Killed | 18 Alawites |
| Injured | 27 |
| Forcibly Disappeared | 9 |
The Alliance urgently reports that on December 26, 2025, artillery shells or suicide drones fell in the vicinity of the Hagia Sophia Church in Sqailbiyah, western rural Hama, while preparations were underway for Friday and Christmas liturgies. Preliminary information indicates material damage around the church and injuries among civilians gathered in the area.
The Western Syria Alliance affirms that these incidents are not isolated events but constitute a systematic, organized, and ongoing pattern of violations against minorities, carried out under the de facto jihadist authority and in the absence of any genuine mechanisms for protection or accountability.
The Western Syria Alliance holds the de facto authority fully responsible for these crimes and calls on the international community to take urgent and effective measures to protect minorities in Syria, halt ongoing violations, and ensure accountability for those responsible in accordance with international law.
Western Syria Alliance (WSA)
