Women from Syria’s Alawite minority have described harrowing experiences of abduction, rape and intimidation following the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad, amid accusations of inaction and impunity by the country’s interim authorities.
Several women and families told BBC News Arabic that armed men, some claiming to be members of security forces, kidnapped teenage girls and adult women from villages in the western coastal province of Latakia. Most of those reported missing belong to the Alawite sect, a minority community long associated with the former ruling elite.
The Syrian Feminist Lobby said it has received reports of more than 80 missing women since early 2025, confirming at least 26 cases as kidnappings. It said 16 women, all Alawite, remain missing.
Victims said they were beaten, threatened and sexually assaulted while being held for days or weeks. Some described being interrogated about their villages and alleged links to the former regime, while others said they were told Alawite women were “captives” and deserving of abuse.
Families alleged that the interim government’s General Security Service failed to properly investigate complaints, with some women saying they were mocked or ignored when they sought help. The interior ministry said previously that most reported kidnappings were unfounded, but declined further comment when contacted again.
The reported abductions span periods before and after sectarian violence in March, when more than 1,400 people, mostly Alawite civilians, were killed in Syria’s western regions following clashes involving forces loyal to the new Sunni Islamist-led authorities.
Human rights groups warned of a climate of impunity. Amnesty International said it had documented multiple cases of Alawite women and girls being abducted, noting that families often received no meaningful updates from investigators.
A security source in the coastal region told the BBC that some kidnappings were carried out for extortion, revenge or personal motives, including by undisciplined members of the security services, adding that some officers had been dismissed.
Survivors and relatives said fear persists, both of retaliation and of social stigma linked to sexual violence. Many said they remain too afraid to seek justice, while women who have returned home continue to suffer severe psychological trauma.
Rights groups are calling on Syrian authorities to ensure independent investigations, protect survivors and take urgent steps to prevent further abuse against vulnerable minority communities.
With inputs from BBC