Alawites formed Syria’s elite. Now they are terrified
Fear of reprisal stalks the heartlands of the Assad regime
THE TREES of Khirbet al-Mezzeh are loaded with over-ripe lemons. The hillside village lies near the city of Tartus, in the heartland of Syria’s Alawites, an offshoot of Shia Islam from which the Assads hail. Pictures of Bashar al-Assad, the ousted dictator, were ubiquitous but have vanished. Bearded men in fatigues keep watch at checkpoints. Some wear badges associated with Islamic State (IS). Their accents are not local—many are from Aleppo, Idlib or Raqqa. Their presence makes the drive to Tartus an ordeal for villagers who fear arrest or violence.
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