A Precarious Calm in Baniyas

The work of religious leaders and defeat of the SDF has brought calm to the city, but for how long?

Baniyas remains one of the most complex and tense regions of Syria’s coast, if not all of western Syria. Yet in recent months the overt tensions in the city have receded. This seems to be a continuation of the “facade” some local activists described to me in November.

Yet the sense of calm that has come over Baniyas is part of a wider change across all Alawi regions of western Syria, and a facade of calm that lasts for more than four months has the potential of solidifying into something more substantial. Yet the lack of any serious civil peace or inter-communal efforts in the city risks throwing away the current opportunity.

In this two-part interview, I speak with the same Christian and pro-revolution Alawi activists that I have profiled several times before. Speaking regularly with these men provides a unique insight into changing perceptions from the same people who are centrally placed within their respective communities. We discuss the nuances of the coast’s “return to life”, the challenges of pursuing civil peace in Baniyas, and the role of Fadi Saqr and Ghazal Ghazal in Tartous.