'Step up': Windsorites want protections for loved ones in Syria who are 'living in fear'

Syrians in Windsor are sounding alarm bells, saying their loved ones back home are in need of protection, in the midst of targeted violence.

Since the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad government in December, there has been a serious escalation of violence, especially in Syria's coastal region.

For a Syrian-Canadian living in Windsor, it's been devastating to watch it unfolding from afar. We are keeping her real identity confidential to limit the risk to her family. 

Her husband, the father of her children, is in hiding in Syria, and she's fearful she may never see him again.

"It's very heartbreaking," she said. "It's breaking my family apart."

She and her husband are Alawite Muslims, a minority group in Syria. She has not seen her husband in years. While she has been living in Canada with their children, her husband, who is not a Canadian citizen, had been forced to serve in the Syrian military for many years until the collapse of the former government.

As a former member of the military and as an Alawite, she says her husband is afraid for his life. 

The former government was largely made up of members of the Alawite sect in Syria, which means that much of the violence has been directed at the Alawite community which is clustered along the coast, explained Adam Coogle, the Deputy Middle East Director for Human Rights Watch.  

"Right now, unfortunately for the Alawite community, they very much feel totally helpless right now. They don't feel like they have any protection," he said. "It's very easy to understand why Alawites, particularly in Syria right now, are living in fear."

The Windsor woman is heartbroken and at a loss, trying to stay strong for her and her husband's two kids. 

"He doesn't know if he's going to live again to see his children... My last conversation with him was, 'Hey, you know, if something happens to me, take care of the kids,'" she said, holding back tears.

In recent months, hundreds of civilians have been killed in violent attacks. In March, in a sharp escalation, there were violent clashes between Syria's government and Assad loyalists, followed by a series of revenge killings.  According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, there were more than 1,500 deaths that month, including more than 100 children. Investigations are still ongoing, so the exact number is unknown.

The United Nations has reported instances of entire families being killed, with Alawite cities and villages targeted in particular.

The Syrian-Canadian woman's husband is in hiding, in the coastal area of Syria. She said he was forced to give up his identification documents when he was discharged from the military, and now has no avenue to leave the country.