On 6 December 2025, the city of Safita in the countryside of Tartous in western Syria—an area known for coexistence between Alawite and Christian families—witnessed the spread of inflammatory leaflets with a sectarian tone, signed by a group calling itself “Liwa’ Ansar al-Sunna” or “Ansar al-Sunna.”
The leaflets targeted members of the Alawite sect and the Christian faith in Safita, describing them as groups “not entitled to participate” in the planned celebrations, using religious takfiri rhetoric against these religious communities.
The leaflets stated that any attempt by members of the Alawite or Christian communities to participate in public events—especially the celebrations expected in the coming days, including the celebrations of the first anniversary of the fall of the Baath regime, as stated—would be met with “martyrdom operations” and bombings.
The leaflets included quotes attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah used in a direct takfiri context, describing members of these communities as “more disbelieving than the Jews and the polytheists,” in an attempt to justify the threats and warnings of violence.
These leaflets were distributed in the streets of Safita, containing clear incitement language urging the targeting of civilians because of their religious affiliation, with the signing party affirming its rejection of the participation of what it described as “the Nusayris and the Christians” in any public celebration, and threatening that any participation would be met with “martyrdom operations.”
Text of the leaflet as written
“In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said regarding the religion of the Nusayris: These people known as the Nusayris—along with all other branches of the Qarmatian Batiniyyah—are more disbelieving than the Jews, and they are far more disbelieving 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 Batiniyyah sects in our joys and victories, nor do we 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 amid the overall fragility of the security situation in the country, and the rise of sectarian hate speech driven by political and religious motives, exposing civilian populations to serious risks and violations that may amount to threats of sectarian violence against specific groups.
