Ending causes of extremism is key to its disappearance in Syria

Intellectuals from al-Tabqa Canton spoke about the spread of extremist ideas within Syrian society, which they say were imposed through a systematic policy targeting education and societal awareness, promoting a culture of weapons, and escalating inciting and sectarian discourse.

Areej al-Mohammad, a member of the Union of Intellectuals of Tabqa Canton, explained the reasons that contributed to the spread of extremist thought in Syria, pointing to the long years of war during which many educational institutions were halted or partially disrupted, including the universities of Homs, Aleppo, and Deir ez-Zor. Thousands of schools also ceased operating due to bombardment or parents’ fear of sending their children to school amid wartime conditions.

She added: “With the absence of education and the spread of scenes of violence and weapons, children grew up with guns instead of pens and notebooks. This led to the spread of ignorance and the reinforcement of aggressive ideas, alongside the emergence of factions with religious extremism that lack the most basic values of true religion. These groups did not limit themselves to using weapons, but also promoted a culture of killing and inhumane acts that dragged society to the lowest levels of moral degradation.”

She further noted that the divisions planted by the former regime contributed to further destabilizing the country after its fall, as sectarian rhetoric spread across social media platforms and evolved into cases of kidnapping and killing based on sectarian identity. She warned that continuing along this path would lead the country toward the abyss.

Areej al-Mohammad emphasized that responsibility today lies first with the people, and then with civil society organizations, to play their role in reuniting Syrians, absorbing hatred, and spreading awareness to confront extremist and sectarian ideologies.

For his part, union member Milad Fares shed light on the roots of extremist thought in Syria, noting that over the 15 years of the Syrian crisis, extremist currents and parties supported from abroad emerged, carrying ideas of extreme rigidity. He explained that the sectarian and inciting discourse currently prevalent on social media platforms and some media outlets contributes to nurturing the seeds of extremism and reviving it after it had relatively declined.

Milad stressed that the absence of accountability for sectarian rhetoric and those who promote it will lead to its reinforcement, strengthen extremist thought, and revive sectarian tensions, negatively affecting the Syrian street and generating hatred among sects and religions.

He warned that the continuation of this approach would push communities to isolate themselves and seek support from external actors, returning the country to square one and potentially dragging it into a renewed conflict that could last even longer than the previous 15 years.

In turn, the Co-Chair of the Union, Rana al-Sayed, stressed the urgent and pressing need for civil society intervention in all its components intellectuals, human rights activists, psychologists, media professionals, and educators. She affirmed that these groups are capable of working among different segments of society and providing an alternative discourse based on dialogue, awareness, psychological support, and protecting youth from falling into the grip of extremism.

Rana noted that the responsibility for rebuilding society after long years of war lies with civil society across the entire Syrian geography, with the aim of building a healthy society free from extremism.

She also addressed the need for international support to help society recover from the consequences of years of war, emphasizing that Syrian society requires assistance from the international community not only through security solutions, but through the establishment of specialized intellectual and research centers, programs for psychological and ideological rehabilitation for those affected by extremism, and long-term support for cultural and educational initiatives provided that such support respects the specificity of Syrian society and aims to build peace rather than impose tutelage.

ANHA