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A statement on the ongoing violations against minorities in Syria, including the killing of civilians and shelling of villages in rural Jableh, amid questions about international stances on these events.
Published
February 24, 2026
Read Time
5 min read
Author
Dr. Sarah Al-Ali
We have repeatedly warned, spoken out, and published documented evidence proving beyond doubt that the jihadist de facto authority in Damascus continues its abusive practices. Yet many still find it puzzling that Abu Mohammad al-Jolani continues to receive praise and commendation from certain heads of state, even as violations against minorities persist without pause.
Any rational observer must ask: are these international statements being read as an implicit green light, allowing the jihadist de facto authority to continue its campaign of killing and intimidation?
Just recently, Iman Matanios, a Christian woman, was killed in Homs under the pretext that she was suspected of being Alawite — as stated by the Homs police chief while offering condolences to her family, who justified the crime by claiming the killers mistook her for an Alawite because she lived in a predominantly Alawite neighborhood. The very fact that such an official justification was issued reveals the dangerous climate of incitement that prevails.
Today, factions affiliated with the Ministry of Defense shelled villages in rural Jableh — Tel Huwair, Mazraat al-Shazriqat, and Kankaro — killing four unarmed civilians, including an elderly woman, and causing widespread damage to civilian homes. In response, official sources and their media outlets put forward the narrative of "clashes with Saraya al-Jawad," offering no explanation for how an elderly woman could be classified as a member of an alleged armed formation.
How long will the killing and oppression of minorities in Syria continue under the world's watch, while Abu Mohammad al-Jolani receives praise and applause from certain politicians? Is this what some would call "firmness" and "strong leadership"?
What is described above is but a limited sample of an organized, systematic, and ongoing pattern of incidents targeting Alawites and other minorities — including killings, enforced disappearances, and daily violations — carried out with direct support from the jihadist de facto authority and its so-called General Security apparatus.
Western Syria Alliance February 24, 2026
