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April 13, 2025 – Masaken Barza, Syria In a disturbing escalation of sectarian targeting, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) carried out mass arrests of Alawite civilians in the Masaken Barza neighborhood of Damascus on Sunday, April 13, 2025. The operation, which unfolded over the course of the day, resulted in the detention of dozens of men—arrested solely based on their Alawite identity. Civilians Taken from Their Homes Witnesses report that HTS fighters stormed Alawite households, aggressively searched homes, and confiscated personal valuables including cash and jewelry. Men were detained indiscriminately—among them university students, retired citizens, former government workers, and civilians with no political or professional affiliations. In addition to looting, HTS forces seized all mobile phones and violently suppressed any attempt to document the operation. Residents who tried to look out from their windows were reportedly shot at, instilling fear and ensuring silence. Weaponizing Social Media with False Narratives Within hours of the operation, HTS launched a coordinated disinformation campaign online. The group published posts on social media claiming they had dismantled a “terrorist group.” Accompanying the posts were photos of weapons, which HTS alleged had been seized during the arrests. However, multiple sources on the ground confirm that the detained individuals were unarmed civilians and that no such weapons were found during the raids. The imagery used in HTS’s posts is believed to be staged or recycled from unrelated contexts—part of a broader effort to legitimize their actions and mislead both local and international audiences. A Pattern of Systematic Persecution This incident is part of a growing pattern of ethnically motivated repression by HTS. Since consolidating control in former regime-held areas, the group has: Dismissed Alawite professionals from their jobs Publicly celebrated acts of violence against Alawite civilians Filmed and disseminated footage of killings for propaganda purposes In response to international criticism, HTS appears to be shifting from openly broadcasted brutality to more covert methods of repression—replacing videos of violence with staged media narratives designed to obscure their actions. An Urgent Call for Independent Verification This latest incident underscores the urgent need for independent observers and human rights organizations to gain access to affected areas. As HTS intensifies its control over information and narrative, the voices of vulnerable communities risk being silenced entirely.