Syrian Alawites, from Formation to Sovereignty

Alawites are among Shia groups that due to oppressions and disrespects that Sunni Muslims leveled against them, particularly during Othmanids government, have impelled to live in hidden forts in the mountains of present-day Syria under bad social and economic conditions. After World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and starting the period of the French protectorate they were greatly favored in such a manner that allowed them to enter very soon in the army, security organizations, the Bath party and even they could establish an independent state under the support of France during 1936-1922. After the independence of Syria in 1944 these backgrounds helped them gain the authority by some coups and come out of the protectorate conditions and finally establish a secular government in 1971 presided over by General Hafiz Asad. Today they see the fundamental Muslim movements and groups such as Ikhvan al-Muslimin, Hamas, and Hizb Allah as a menace to their existence. On the other hand the waves of the recent anti dictatorship movements raised in the Arab world has reached Syria which is considered, especially beside its anti-oppression features, a movement of the majority Sunni Muslims against the minority Alawites.