Surge in Sectarian Violence as HTS Militants Target Religious Minorities in Syria

(18+) A new wave of sectarian violence has erupted in Syria, with militants reportedly targeting members of religious minority groups in a series of brutal attacks.

In the province of Tartus, six Alawite residents, including a teenager, were murdered in the village of Harf Bin Namra after militants lured the village elder into a home under the pretense of celebrating Eid al-Fitr before opening fire.

HTS Officials blamed remnants of the Assad regime for the massacre, but locals rejected the claim and began fleeing the area—over 200 families are reported to have left.

In Homs, HTS militants stormed an Alawite household, killing a mother, her three children (including a two-year-old), and two Sunni guests.

Reports identified the attackers as Abu Khalid and his son, allegedly affiliated with the Damascus-controlled HTS General Security Service.

In El-Qusayr, also in Homs province, militants attacked several Christian homes and a church. Residents fear these acts are part of a broader campaign to intimidate and displace minority populations, paving the way for the seizure of their property. Following similar ethnic cleansing on the coast, militants reportedly took over homes of deceased Alawites, sharing images online as trophies.