The spiritual leader of the Alawite religious minority in Syria, Ghazal Ghazal, has called for a strike against the administration of Ahmad al-Sharaa (Abu Muhammad al-Jolani), one day ahead of the first anniversary of the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government, The Cradle reported Sunday.

The strike will last from December 8 to December 12 and marks a “peaceful response” to the policies of the new Syrian regime, which have systematically targeted the Alawite minority since the start of the year.

Ghazal also accused Damascus of using coercion to force celebrations. Sharaa recently called on all Syrians to take to the streets in celebration of the anniversary of the start of the 11-day offensive, which resulted in the collapse of the Assad government on 8 December 2024.

“They arrested, killed, slaughtered, kidnapped, and burned, and now they threaten our livelihoods… and force us to participate in celebration,” he said, referring to al-Jolani forces.

The religious leader’s call for a strike comes as supporters of the new regime have been celebrating the fall of Assad’s government.

It also coincided with a statement by the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).

AANES urged citizens of north and east Syria against celebrations or participation in events commemorating the collapse of the former government.

Thousands of Alawite civilians were massacred in March this year by the al-Jolani regime’s forces during a violent crackdown in March. 

Young Alawite girls continue to disappear as a result of regime-linked kidnapping networks, and Alawite men are regularly executed.

Thousands of Alawites took to the streets in protest across Syria’s coastal cities on November 25 to demonstrate against regime-sponsored sectarian violence. Security forces shot at protesters.