Refuge Found: Alawite Families Seek Safety in Russias Perm Amid Rising Violence in Syria

A continuous influx of Syrian refugees has begun to establish their lives in Russia’s Perm region following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad late last year, according to Russian officials.

Many of these individuals hail from the Latakia region, where a significant portion of Syria’s Alawite minority resides. They have increasingly faced attacks from militants affiliated with the newly formed Turkish-backed Sunni regime in Damascus, led by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has pledged to safeguard minority groups.

Since February, approximately 150 refugees have relocated to the Perm area amidst the ongoing violence against Syrian minorities, as reported by local authorities.

On Thursday, Igor Sapko, the Human Rights Commissioner for the Perm region, met with refugees at a temporary shelter.

Sapko noted that professionals such as doctors and educators would be allowed to continue their work within the Perm region.

He shared on his VKontakte page that the refugees have received help with their documentation and have undergone medical check-ups. They were also offered social, legal, and psychological support.

Furthermore, he mentioned that the Syrian refugees need to have their educational qualifications validated and should obtain personal SIM cards.

Earlier in March, militants targeted Syrian minority groups, including Armenian Christians and Alawites—the religious community associated with the Assad regime—resulting in the deaths of over 1,500 men, women, and children, according to human rights organizations.

The new government in Damascus has made efforts to curb sectarian violence and has detained some individuals responsible for the attacks on Alawites and Christians in recent weeks. Nevertheless, it continues to confront escalating threats from various factions, including ISIS and Israeli forces, who remain active in southern regions along the Jordan border and the Golan Heights.

This story originally appeared in bne IntelliNews.