Activists from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) have reported a new wave of organized attacks targeting students from the Alawite sect at the Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering dormitories in Damascus. The assaults, carried out by masked individuals armed with “cold weapons” (knives and sharp objects), mark the second such occurrence this month.
Details of the Sectarian Targeting
According to field reports, the attacks took place after midnight, with masked assailants storming specific rooms inhabited exclusively by Alawite students in Units 9 and 17. The precision of the attacks suggests prior surveillance and a deliberate intent to target students based on their sectarian identity, sparking widespread panic and tension within the residential complex.
Information indicates that the attackers are believed to be fellow students residing in the dormitories, originally from rural Damascus. Despite being identified by witnesses on the scene, no legal or disciplinary actions have been taken against them so far.
The “Sheikh of the Dorms” and Organized Groups
Reports highlight a concerning trend involving a student who has assumed the title of “Sheikh of the Dorms.” He reportedly leads an organized group of students who follow his orders, raising serious questions about the existence of organized cells within the university housing and their role in orchestrating these sectarian-motivated assaults.
Absence of Deterrent Measures
Despite formal complaints lodged by the victims following each incident with:
-
The University City Administration.
-
Security checkpoints stationed at the entrances.
-
Unit supervisors.
Response remains nonexistent. A total lack of actual intervention to halt these attacks or hold the perpetrators accountable has been recorded. This security vacuum has raised urgent questions regarding the reality of safety measures within the university dormitories, amid growing demands for immediate action to ensure the safety of the targeted students and prevent the academic institution from turning into an arena for sectarian conflict.