Alawite women report abductions and sexual assault amid post-Assad chaos

Overview

Dozens of women, mostly from Syria's Alawite minority, say they were abducted, beaten and sexually assaulted after the fall of Bashar al‑Assad in December 2024. The Syrian Feminist Lobby has recorded reports of more than 80 women missing and confirmed 26 kidnappings; Amnesty International has reported credible cases as well. Survivors interviewed by the BBC described being forced into vehicles, held in underground or industrial rooms, repeatedly raped, photographed and threatened with being "sold" or forced into servitude, often while captors used sectarian slurs and questioned victims about ties to the former regime.

The interim interior ministry says it investigated 42 alleged kidnappings and found all but one were not genuine, but a security source told the BBC some abductions did occur and that undisciplined elements — including dismissed security officers — were involved. Human rights groups and families say investigations have delivered little meaningful progress, leaving many survivors traumatized and fearful of reprisals or social stigma; the Syrian Feminist Lobby says 16 women remain missing. Activists link the wave of abductions to both sectarian revenge after deadly March violence in coastal areas and a broader climate of impunity. as reported by BBC