The Levant Files

Syria’s coastal heartland has been plunged into a state of violent chaos as peaceful demonstrations, sparked by calls for Alawite self-determination and federalism, were met with brutal crackdowns, machete attacks, and heavy military intervention. As of December 28, the death toll has begun to rise, with reports confirming at least three fatalities and dozens of critically injured civilians as the transitional government struggles to maintain a fragile grip on order. Armed Attacks Target Alawite Villages in Hama Following demonstrations called for by Sheikh Ghazal Ghazal in areas with an Alawite majority in Latakia, Jableh, Tartous, and Baniyas, Hama countryside witnessed a dangerous escalation, marked by an attack carried out by Bedouin tribal groups loyal to the Syrian authorities. According to SOHR sources, the groups, which set out from Dimo village, attacked Asila village in Hama countryside, a village inhabited by Alawite sect. More than 50 motorcycles and vehicles were recorded ...

Suriye'nin sahil şeridi, Alevi özerkliği ve federalizm çağrılarıyla başlayan barışçıl gösterilere karşı acımasız, palalı saldırılar ve ağır askerî müdahalelerle şiddetli bir kaos ortamına sürüklendi. 28 Aralık itibarıyla, geçici hükûmetin düzeni sağlamakta zorlandığı bu ortamda, en az üç ölüm ve onlarca ağır yaralı sivilin olduğu rapor edilirken, teyidi zor son bilgilere göre can kayıpları artmaya devam ediyor. Kuşatma Altındaki Bir Bölge Alevi cemaatinin ruhani lideri Şeyh Gazal Gazal'ın çağrılarına yanıt olarak başlayan olaylar, hızla çok cepheli bir güvenlik krizine dönüştü. Lazkiye, Tartus, Cebele ve Humus'taki protestocular, "Federalizm İstiyoruz" sloganıyla sokaklara dökülerek siyasi ademimerkeziyetçilik ve cemaatlerine yönelik "sistematik yıkım" ve ihlaller olarak tanımladıkları duruma son verilmesini talep etti. Geçici yetkililerin tepkisi ise hızlı ve tavizsiz oldu. Lazkiye'de Genel Güvenlik Güçleri, El-Ezheri Kavşağı'na zırhlı araçlar v...

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, Syria has entered a period of profound political transformation, with decentralisation re-emerging as a focal point of competing visions for the country's future governance. Recent remarks by U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barak at the Doha Forum have thrust this contentious issue back into the spotlight, drawing sharp reactions from analysts and researchers across the region. According to The Syrian Observer, Barak stated that "decentralisation has not succeeded in the Middle East and will not succeed in Syria"—a comment widely interpreted as signalling Washington's preference for strong central authority as a means of achieving rapid stability and avoiding a repeat of the Iraqi experience. Political researcher Abdullah al-Kheir argued that the United States has adopted a firm position against political decentralisation or federalism in Syria, asserting that Barak's comments reflect a strategic orientation ...

The push for a federal solution in Syria appears to be widening. After Kurdish-led authorities and their allies in the northeast and Druze activists in Sweida championed decentralization, figures from Syria’s Alawite community are preparing to unveil a political project that embraces federalism, according to reliable sources cited by the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). SOHR reports that an impending announcement will establish a formation called the “Political Council for Central and West Syria” (PCCWS). The initiative, led by Alawite community figures, seeks to create a federal political entity defined by legal and geographical criteria encompassing Latakia and Tartus provinces and parts of Homs and Hama. According to SOHR, the PCCWS aims to present a civil and secular model grounded in justice, citizenship, and respect for human rights, while explicitly committing to the principles of federalism and the rights of all components of Syrian society, irrespective of ...