Since the collapse of the Syrian dictator Bashar Assad's regime in December 2024 in an offensive led by rebel militia group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the country's religious and ethnic minorities have been confronted by the specter of sectarian violence.

Outbreaks of violence between armed groups have complicated the efforts of the nation's interim government led by former HTS commander Ahmed al-Sharaa to rebuild the nation following Assad's ousting, particularly in light of a December pledge to protect such groups.

Syria is a diverse country with an estimated population of about 24.3 million as of 2024, according to the United Nations Population Fund and the US government.

Of Syria's social groupings, around 70% of the population, are Sunni Muslims, the dominant denomination of Islam, and around 3% are Shia Muslims.

However, there are many other faith and ethnic groupings within the country, some of which have expressed concerns for their safety as the........

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