Syria's New Reality: Extremism, Fear, and the Fight for Survival

In Syria today, life is far from peaceful. The country has seen a big change. A new government is in power, and it's not friendly to everyone. Minorities like Christians, Kurds, and Alawites are scared. They say the old government, led by Assad, was strict but fair. It didn't target them because of their beliefs. Now, things are different. The new leaders follow extreme religious ideas. They see those who disagree as enemies of their faith. This makes it easy for groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS to gain followers. They use religion to justify violence and control. One key figure in this new Syria is Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. He used to be part of al-Qaeda and now leads a powerful group called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). His fighters control much of the country. They make laws and enforce them. But not everyone trusts Jolani. Some think he might be secretly helping ISIS. This makes minorities even more worried. They fear ISIS attacks will increase and the group will grow stronger. The Turkish-backed Syrian National Army is another threat. They target minorities and commit violent acts. This adds to the fear and instability. Some people think the recent massacre of Alawites was a political move. But minorities say it's not about politics. It's about religion. They believe the new government wants to eliminate them because of their beliefs. Christians in Syria are especially worried. They expect a large-scale attack soon. The only reason it hasn't happened yet is that Jolani wants to appear legitimate to the world. He knows killing Christians would cause international outrage. But attacks on other minorities continue. Alawites and Druze have been targeted in sectarian killings. These attacks are driven by the belief that these groups are heretics. In Rojava, a Kurdish-led region, things are safer for minorities. Kurds protect them and give them equal rights. Christians in Rojava have their own militias and armed guards. They feel safer than in other parts of Syria. The economic situation in Syria is also bad. High unemployment and inflation make life difficult. President Trump has lifted some sanctions, hoping to improve the economy and reduce violence. He believes foreign investment will create safer areas. Alawites are concerned about their future. They want the U. S. to help them secure autonomy or relocate to safer areas. Christians in Rojava share similar fears. They remember the Alawite massacre and how the victims were defenseless. This is why they keep their weapons in Rojava. The Druze, who are armed, suffered fewer losses in the recent attacks. Kurds feel betrayed by the U. S. after meeting with the new Syrian leader. They fear another abandonment like in 2019 when the U. S. pulled troops from Kurdish areas.