Alawites and the Fate of Syria

By

Ayse Baltacioglu-Brammer

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Syria's ethno-religious composition in 1976.

Syria's religions

Syria's ethno-religious composition in 1976. Source: Central Intelligence Agency

Countries in green support the rebels; in blue support the Assad regime; in yellow have groups supporting both sides of the civil war. Syria is in red.

Support for Syrian regime by nation

Countries in green support the rebels; in blue support the Assad regime; in yellow have groups supporting both sides of the civil war. Syria is in red.

This chart shows the death toll by week during the civil conflict in Syria. Source of data: Syrian National Council.

Civil war casualties

This chart shows the death toll by week during the civil conflict in Syria. Source of data: Syrian National Council.

The French Mandate created autonomous zones in Syria along the lines of ethnic and sectarian differences.

The French Mandate

By promoting separate identities and creating autonomous zones in Syria along the lines of ethnic and sectarian differences, the French mandate aimed to maximize French control and influence in Syria.

Mamluk territory is shown here circa 1279.

Mamluk sultanate

The Mamluks, whose territory is shown here circa 1279, subjected the Alawites to major repression after a religious scholar declared their belief system heretical.

Map of the Ottoman Empire.

Ottoman Empire

Alawites resisted continuous Ottoman attempts to tax their villages and to convert them to Sunni Islam.

Map of Ottoman Syria in 1851.

Ottoman Syria

Map of Ottoman Syria in 1851

The size of each circle corresponds to the population of the city. Green: controlled by pro-Assad forces; brown: controlled by anti-Assad forces; mustard: controlled by Kurdish forces; blue: fighting is ongoing and control is unclear.

Syrian Civil War

The military situation in Syria in early September 2013. The size of each circle corresponds to the population of the city. Green: controlled by pro-Assad forces; brown: controlled by anti-Assad forces; mustard: controlled by Kurdish forces; blue: fighting is ongoing and control is unclear.

Distribution of minority and majority Alawite populations in Syria.

Alawite populations in Syria

Distribution of minority and majority Alawite populations in Syria

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