Amid threats of home demolition, Alawite families forced to flee Damascus

DAMASCUS, Aug. 29 (YPA) – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the forced displacement of Alawite families in the al-Sumaria neighborhood of Damascus, after they were given only a few hours to evacuate their homes.

This measure follows a series of repeated warnings described as unfair, as families were not given sufficient time to empty their homes of furniture and essential belongings.

The observatory reported that forces from the transitional government issued an order to completely evacuate the homes by Friday evening, threatening to demolish them with bulldozers if they did not comply.

These developments come despite attempts by Alawite figures from the Civil Peace Committee to intervene and defuse tensions after residents threatened to block the Mezzeh highway in protest. However, their attempts failed after an armed faction returned and issued a new warning requiring residents to evacuate immediately.

Residents describe this measure as “new forced displacement” that exacerbates their suffering, especially given the lack of any guarantees of compensation or alternative shelter.

YPA