On 7 December 2025, the city of Dreikish in rural Tartous—an area known for its religious diversity and home to Christian and Alawite families—witnessed the spread of inflammatory sectarian leaflets signed by a group calling itself “Liwa’ Ansar al-Sunna,” coinciding with similar leaflets that appeared in the nearby city of Safita.
The leaflets targeted the city’s residents from the Alawite sect and the Christian faith, using takfiri language and direct threats, and stating that their participation in any public events or planned celebrations in the coming days was “unacceptable,” according to the wording of the group.
The leaflets included threats of violence, including references to “martyrdom operations” should members of these communities take part in the celebrations expected to be held soon.
The messages distributed in the streets of Dreikish cited religious quotations used in takfiri contexts, in an attempt to justify threatening rhetoric against civilians on the basis of religious affiliation. They also reaffirmed what the group described as a “rejection of the participation of the Nusayris and Christians” in any public activity.
The leaflets were distributed in several neighborhoods of the city, amid concerns among local residents that the incitement could escalate into more dangerous actions, especially given the state of security anxiety in the region.
Text of the leaflet as received
“In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyya said about the people of the Nusayri religion: These people known as the Nusayris—along with all other kinds of Qarmatian Batini sects—are more infidel than the Jews, and they are far more infidel than the polytheists.
For this reason, we, the descendants of the Messenger of God Muhammad, peace be upon him (Liwa’ Ansar al-Sunna), do not accept the participation of the Nusayris and the Christians and other Batini sects in our joys and victories, and we do not accept their celebrating with us in any form.
Therefore, O Nusayris and Christians, your celebration will be met with martyrdom operations, and God is the best of witnesses.
Liwa’ Ansar al-Sunna”
This incident comes within a broader context of growing hate speech in some areas of rural Tartous, raising serious concerns about the possibility of sectarian violence and the targeting of civilians, and reflecting the fragility of the security situation and the absence of effective mechanisms to curb these threats.
