‘We live in constant fear’: Alawites in Syria’s Homs terrified of reprisals

<p>Diverse city has grown tense since fall of Assad regime, as security forces target groups loyal to the former dictator</p><p>Outside the deserted Homs political security directorate building, a group of freshly recruited armed guards were engaged in a heated debate about justice. Sado Junaid, whose sister and brother-in-law were detained and tortured in the squat facility’s underground prison, sided with Mahmoud al-Bashar, who as they spoke sometimes held the black coil of wire and a black-and-white rod once used to beat him and other detainees.</p><p>They clashed with another young recruit about whether they should be allowed to torture officers from the deposed regime of Bashar al-Assad before any accused of crimes face trial, or whether suspects should be immediately delivered to Syria’s nascent justice system.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/16/constant-fear-alawites-syria-homs-terrified-reprisals">Continue reading...</a>