At least 33 women and girls from Syria's Alawite sect have been abducted or gone missing in 2025 amid ongoing turmoil following the fall of Bashar Assad. These kidnappings have reportedly occurred in broad daylight under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a dominant faction in parts of Syria. The situation reflects heightened sectarian tensions and violence, including a massacre in March 2025 where nearly 1,500 Syrian Alawites were killed over three days in the aftermath of an Assad loyalist insurgency. Investigations indicate that the chain of command for these killings involved men now serving alongside Syria’s new leadership in Damascus. The complex dynamics also involve the role of HTS and Turkey in the region, contributing to the ongoing instability and sectarian violence targeting the Alawite community.