Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa signing the constitutional declaration on March 13, 2025, in Damascus. (Credit: Bakr Alkasem/AFP)
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met for more than two hours on Friday with representatives of the Shiite community in Syria, according to the Al-Modon website. The meeting follows a series of discussions with various components of Syrian society, particularly religious minorities, whom Sharaa seeks to reassure.
A Shiite delegation was received by Sharaa "despite numerous attempts by some to prevent the meeting," said Adham al-Khatib, the community's representative in Syria. The discussions covered all issues related to Shiites and their future in the country, with the delegation sharing its concerns and the challenges faced by the community.
During the meeting, Sharaa promised to resolve all issues concerning Shiites, emphasizing that they have the right to freely practice their religious rituals as long as they do not offend other groups. He also assured the delegation that Shiites would be integrated into future governments.
Sharaa further acknowledged the significance of the Shiite shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, located south of Damascus. He explained that he has been personally connected to the shrine since childhood and plans to visit it soon.
The delegation also raised the issue of the return of Shiites to several villages from which they had been displaced.
In early March, more than 1,500 civilians, mostly from the Alawite community, which shares ties to Shiism, were killed amid clashes between security forces and supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad in the western part of Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).