Syrian Alawite religious leader calls for boycott of Assad downfall celebrations

A prominent Alawite spiritual leader in Syria called on members of the minority group to boycott celebrations marking the downfall of the Assad regime, in protest against the "oppressive" government that replaced it.

Former president Bashar Al Assad was toppled by rebels in December last year. Syrians have been marking the first anniversary of his fall in the past few days, with larger celebrations expected on Monday.

The former leader is a member of the Alawite sect, a group that has been the target of attacks in the past year. Hundreds were killed in its coastal heartland in March, in what was a major test of the new government, led by President Ahmad Al Shara.

"Under the slogan of freedom, they want to force the celebration of swapping an oppressive regime with an even more oppressive regime," Ghazal Ghazal, head of the Islamic Alawite Council in Syria and Abroad, said in a video message posted on Facebook on Saturday.

Mr Ghazal was close to the former president and his late father, Hafez Al Assad. Mr Ghazal has fled Syria and his current location is unknown.

He accused the government of trying to "break us in the worst ways – carrying out arrests, killing, slaughtering, kidnapping, burning and now threatening our livelihoods ... they are forcing us to take part in celebrations built on our blood, our pain, our suffering ... and silencing us".

"We will confront their aggression with a clear, peaceful, collective response," he said. He called for a general strike and urged people to stay at home during the anniversary celebrations.

In March, at least 1,300 Alawite civilians were killed in violence during a government campaign to stop what it described as an insurgency by supporters of the former regime. Late last month, pro-government forces were sent into coastal areas after protests by residents after renewed clashes. Mr Ghazal called for the demonstrations.

In the year since taking power, the Syrian government has faced economic, political and social challenges. But the issue of minorities and mistrust remains a key hurdle for Mr Al Shara to confront.

Deadly violence also gripped the southern province of Sweida, the Druze heartland, while sporadic clashes have taken place in Kurdish-majority areas of northern and north-eastern Syria.

The Kurdish admini