IIRF Report Finds State Role in 64 Abductions of Alawite Women

A new report from the International Institute for Religious Freedom alleges that Syrian authorities are complicit in the systematic abuse of Alawite women. The document details 64 anonymized cases of abduction, rape, and forced marriage since the fall of the Assad regime. It describes the violence as a tool for political score-settling rather than isolated crimes.

The interim government took power nearly two years ago in a fractured security environment. During this period, Alawite women were kidnapped, held as sex slaves, or forced into marriages with men from armed groups. The IIRF states these actions point to coordinated networks and a strategic media campaign.

Survivors and families report that abductors often questioned women about their religious identity before taking them. Those identified as Alawite were taken at gunpoint and subjected to torture, including razor cuts and shaved heads. Some victims were held underground and starved. Others were forced to record videos claiming they had run away or married willingly, a tactic the report says was used to shield perpetrators.

The report highlights a specific pattern of state obstruction. Families seeking help found police refusing to issue referrals and security cameras declared non-functional. In several instances, telecommunications data was withheld. Authorities instructed families not to publish photographs or speak publicly about the cases.

Security forces often detained survivors after their return. Investigators forced them to adopt fabricated accounts of their disappearances. Families were frequently arrested or threatened. In one case, a family was warned that their entire village would be destroyed if they continued seeking information about their missing relative.

In November 2025, the government in Damascus released its own findings on 42 reported abductions from March 2025. The state committee concluded that only one case constituted a kidnapping. It classified the remaining 41 cases as non-criminal events, such as elopement, domestic disputes, or social media misinformation. The IIRF notes this finding contradicts reports from Amnesty International and other human rights groups.

The report argues the government used these classifications to recast gendered violence as private matters. It warns that the state's handling of these allegations indicates a fragile emerging institution. The IIRF adds that such acts during a non-international armed conflict may constitute war crimes under international law.

Alawite communities have increasingly relied on human rights organizations and social media to document cases. The report cautions that digital records are hard to verify and families face retaliation. The IIRF concludes that the failure of security institutions to investigate these kidnappings is a central theme of the current crisis.