What is happening in Syria is no longer just a “civil war” cannot be glossed over with the title. The process we are witnessing there is a multi-layered crime against humanity perpetuated by states, organizations and global powers. If blood is flowing in Syria today, it is not only on the frontlines; it is flowing from the lives of Alawites, Kurds, Druze, Turkmens, Christians, Yazidis and most importantly women and children.
The increasing pressure, attacks and forced displacement policies against Alevis, especially in certain regions, are the most tangible parts of this dark picture. However, it should be underlined: The persecution in Syria is not directed against a single people; on the contrary, it is carried out without discriminating between identities, but by deepening identity differences.
At this point, we have to face the reality of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). HTS is essentially a jihadist, sectarian and anti-civilian organization, no matter how much it tries to change its name, rhetoric and showcase. Its systematic practices against different faith groups, especially Alawites, women and opposition civilians in the areas it controls are evident. HTS “local governance”, “stability” or “moderation” claims never correspond to the bloody practice on the ground.
Where HTS is in control:
There can be no freedom of belief.
Women's right to life is not guaranteed.
Different identities in advance “potential criminal” is announced.
This picture is just the continuation of the legacy left by ISIS under a different name. Unfortunately, these organizations are not only the product of their own ideology; they are the result of authority gaps created by imperialist powers, proxy wars and a conscious policy of ignoring.
The imperial power centers, especially the US, have been using Syria as a chessboard for years. For a period “moderate opposition” Today, while the structures marketed as "democracy" are openly persecuting civilians, there is no significant objection from the same centers. Because the issue has never been democracy; it has always been interests, influence, energy lines and military balances.
The international community remains largely silent in the face of these atrocities. The United Nations writes reports and issues condemnations, but nothing changes on the ground, and the Geneva Conventions are only remembered when it suits the powerful.
If in Syria:
If an Alevi is targeted because of his sect,
If a Kurd is considered a “collective threat” because of his identity,
If a Druze or a Christian is expelled from their land,
If a Turkmen or Arab civilian is being bombed, there is not a war, but a multifaceted “civilian extermination order” that means there is.
At this point, it should not be forgotten that the borders in the Middle East were drawn not by the will of the peoples, but by imperial negotiations. Today, it is a historical responsibility to stand against the sowing of enmity between peoples. Making Kurds, Turkmens, Arabs and Alevis look like enemies is the oldest and dirtiest method of imperialism.
This poisonous language is reproduced from time to time in our country. It is a language that sees Syria as consisting only of armed groups, ignores civilians and “everyone there is a terrorist” The simplistic approach trivializes war crimes. This exclusionary language does not serve the peoples, but only the darkness of structures like HTS.
We have to say this clearly: No security justification, no sectarian rhetoric, no geopolitical calculation can justify the killing of a child, the violence against a woman or the displacement of a people. War is a barbarism that presents women's bodies as booty, children as statistics and poverty as destiny. The practices of HTS and the silence of imperialist powers are different faces of this barbarism.
We do not consent to this order. Just as we reject the persecution of Alevis, we reject the violence against Kurds, Druze, Turkmens, Christians and all civilians with the same determination. Peace is not a favor of the powerful; it is the most natural right of peoples.
We will continue to stand by all those who are persecuted in Syria or anywhere else in the world, regardless of their identity, faith or language.
We will not remain silent. We will not forget. We will not normalize this barbarism.