Ethnic cleansing has long been used in Syria as a weapon against rival sects. During the civil war, Assad expelled most Sunni Palestinians from Damascus, accusing them of collaborating with the Sunni opposition. Later, with Iranian backing, hundreds of thousands of Shiites were relocated near the Sayyida Zainab shrine to alter the city’s demographics. But when Assad fled to Russia and al-Sharaa seized power, Shiite families fled or were forced out under threat.

Now, reports show the purge has extended to Alawite families. At the end of August, Syrian security forces stormed the poor Damascus suburb of al-Sumaria — long home to families of ex-soldiers from Assad’s army. Armed with pistols, swords, and eviction orders, they marked houses with black “X” and “O” signs: who could stay, who must leave. Residents who failed to produce immediate proof of ownership were given 48 hours to vacate.

According to locals, dozens of men were interrogated about past service in Assad’s army; others were arrested, beaten, and detained in a building turned into a police post. Families presenting documents from the Assad era were told these were “invalid” — their homes marked for seizure.