Security forces issue eviction orders in Alawite neighborhood of Damascus
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syrian security forces launched in late August eviction raids on al-Somaria, an Alawite neighborhood west of Damascus, leaving thousands displaced and entire streets marked with spray-painted signs.
Between Aug. 27–29, dozens of armed units led by Interior Ministry commander Abu Hudhayfah went door-to-door demanding proof of ownership. Homes without documents were painted with black “O”s and posted with eviction orders warning residents to vacate within 48 hours or face punishment.
Locals told Reuters that some men were interrogated about past military service under Bashar al-Assad, while others were detained and beaten inside a residential building turned into a police station. Residents said the raids created panic, with most families fleeing within days.
Before the raids, al-Somaria housed about 22,000 people, nearly half families of former Assad soldiers. By early September, only around 3,000 remained, and witnesses described the area as a “ghost town.”
Al-Somaria was originally seized in the 1970s by Rifaat al-Assad and distributed to Alawite loyalists, displacing Sunni residents. Damascus officials now say the evictions aim to resolve “decades of unjust expropriation,” while human rights experts have condemned them as violations of international law.
The crackdown comes amid major government infrastructure projects, including a planned metro hub in al-Somaria, raising concerns that redevelopment is driving the forced removals.