After the fall of former Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad (2000-2024), minority communities who often enjoyed privileges now face an uncertain future under Sunni Islamist rule. This marks a significant shift from five decades of Ba’athist governance, when Alawites and Shiites became central to the religious, military and political strategies of the state.

The overall privilege of both communities was, particularly after the outbreak of civil conflict in 2011, also profoundly shaped by Iran’s intervention in favor of Assad. Although formally dissolved, Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) now dominates the Syrian government—and this makes addressing the complex...