With the fall of the Assad regime and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other extremist Sunni Islamist groups, fears have surged among religious minorities and non-Sunni sects. Reports of violations and attacks on Alawites and Christians have further deepened these anxieties.
VOA Kurdish: What religious, sectarian challenges await Syria?
FILE - A Syrian Christian woman lights a candle during the first Sunday Mass since Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's ouster, at Mariamiya Orthodox Church in Old Damascus, Syria, Dec. 15, 2024.