Syrian Alawites protest, demanding federalism and release of Assad-era officers

Thousands of people demonstrated on Tuesday across Syria’s coastal Alawite heartland, calling for federalism and the release of former military personnel who served under the ousted president Bashar al-Assad.

The protests came after recent attacks targeting the Alawite minority community. They mark the largest demonstrations in the region since al-Assad – himself an Alawite – was toppled last December following a rapid offensive by opposition forces.

In the port city of Latakia, protesters chanted slogans such as “The Syrian people are one” and “To the whole world, listen to us – the Alawites will not bend.”

Security forces were deployed but did not intervene, a stark contrast to the heavy-handed tactics of the previous regime, notorious for its violent suppression of dissent.