Turkey’s Alawites support Syria’s Assad
Alawite communities in Hatay province still see Assad as Syria’s legitimate leader.
Published On 16 Mar 2013
In Turkey’s Hatay province, one can still buy tapestries featuring Syrian President Bashar al-Assad – it could just be a commodity or a sign of unwavering support.
People who live in Antakya and surrounding areas of the province are mainly Alawite – an off-shoot of Shia Islam, the same sect as Assad, and they are worried about the conflict.
They believe the West and their own government are helping extremists to topple a legitimate regime.
Al Jazeera’s Omar al Saleh reports from Antakya.