Mohamed Hassan, a 30-year-old Syrian Shiite, arrived at the Lebanese-Syrian border shortly after the collapse of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December, joining tens of thousands of fellow Shiites in a desperate human chain.

Like many in the snaking lines, he ignored assurances of safety from the Sunni militant group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which now controls swaths of the country, and chose exile over the spectre of sectarian reprisals.

At the gate, many were denied official crossing permits under new regulations, which now required either a valid Lebanese residency or ownership of property or a local business, rendering obsolete Syrian trade union cards, which most had previously relied on to cross before.

Hassan, unable to secure a legal passage, resorted to hiring a smuggler recommended by a friend in Lebanon. He spent two harrowing, sleepless days waiting at the border before finally managing to cross into Lebanese territory illegally under the cover of night. 

Hassan had received a deluge of threatening messages on his social media accounts following Assad’s ouster. Many of these messages, laced with insults such as “Your kind are dogs, infidels,” arrived from unknown sources and demanded his death simply because of his sectarian identity. Living alone in Damascus’ Bab Sharqi area while his family resided abroad for years, he felt isolated in the face of rising threats. 

“I didn’t think too much,” he recalled. “I just grabbed a small backpack with my essentials and documents, then rented a car to head to the al-Masna border crossing between Syria and Lebanon.”

Hassan is one of thousands of Syrian Shiites who feel the persistent threat of assassination and persecution looms large. 

“It wasn’t just me,” he said. “Every Shiite I knew was getting these messages, ordering us to hide or be slaughtered. When your neighbors stop answering their doors, and the streets fill with whispers, you don’t think; you run.”

Local reports highlight a series of violent incidents, including sectarian attacks in Nubl, al-Zahraa, two predominantly Shiite towns in Aleppo, and Eastern Ghour in rural Homs. 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported that several regions in Syria have witnessed an escalating wave of targeted killings and individual acts of retribution. The organization noted that direct executions are being carried out through various methods, from field executions to surprise assassinations by unidentified gunmen. 

It further explained that these operations target former military and security personnel as well as civilians, all in the context of retaliatory actions that sometimes take on a distinctly sectarian tone. 

According to the Observatory, since the beginning of 2025, there have been 163 acts of vengeance and targeted killings across various provinces in Syria, resulting in 298 casualties: 290 men, seven women and one child.

Lebanese media reported that more than 80,000 Shia refugees have poured across the border amid escalating fears. Although the primary surge of displacement occurred in the days immediately following the collapse of the former regime, recent reports indicate that an increasing number of Shiites continue to flee, while reassurances from Syria’s new administration, have facilitated the return of fewer than 20,000.

ِAyman al-Ahmed, an influential community leader among Syria’s Shiites, estimated that, from Damascus alone, roughly 25,000 Shiites have fled, many of whom have now sought refuge in Lebanon, Iraq or Iran. He noted that official figures are hard to pin down, especially since Syrian border crossings remained open and largely unmonitored for 15 days after the regime’s collapse, leaving much of the exodus undocumented.

In Lebanon’s northern Bekaa, many displaced Syrian Shiites have taken refuge near the Sayyida Khawla shrine in Baalbek, while others reside in tents or homes provided by Lebanese acquaintances. 

Official numbers remain elusive; a municipal source in Baalbek, who wished to remain anonymous owing to the sensitivity of the matter, explained that due to the unofficial nature of their entry, precise statistics are hard to come by, though estimates suggest that over 100,000 Syrians, predominantly Shiites, are now residing in Baalbek and Hermel.

“The fear for my family, of any retaliatory act based on sectarian hatred, forced me to face the unknown. I knew the road was dangerous and that we might be harmed, but it was preferable to the threat of murder and abuse,” Hussein Al-Faqih, a 57-year-old Syrian Shiite, told Religion Unplugged.

The family’s struggles extend to everyday challenges as well. The head of the household and his 27-year-old son Hassan have encountered difficulties in securing safe, dignified employment in Lebanon, with many employers exploiting their undocumented status. 

Additionally, enrolling their daughters in school and university has proven problematic. Their eldest daughter, Zainab, currently a second-year student at the University of Damascus’ Faculty of Arts, faces interruptions in her education due to the lack of official Lebanese entry permits. 

His wife, Lamma, 46, recalled how they fled their home in the Sabina area of rural Damascus with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, leaving behind all they once knew. 

“I fear that Syria will turn into a battleground for sectarian and regional killings. Most minorities here had nothing to do with the former regime,” she said. “Is it our fault for being born Shiite? None of us chose our religion or sect at birth.” 

“We don’t call them refugees. They are our guests,” Abu al-Fadl Shouman, head of a local Lebanese aid organization, Wa Ta'awanu, told Religion Unplugged. “We prepared a rapid response plan, which began with the establishment of field kitchens in areas like Lahrmal, Qasr, Baalbek, and al-Ain, as well as at the Shrine of Sayyida Khawla, where displaced families have gathered.” 

The organization also distributed essential supplies to outfit shelters and equipped local mosques and community centers with bedding and basic medical necessities. The humanitarian work conducted by the organization during Lebanon’s own conflict with Israel has provided volunteers with vital experience in managing shelter centers and aiding displaced persons. According to Shouman, this experience has greatly facilitated efforts amid the ongoing Syrian Shiite displacement.

Relief operations, however, have not been without their hurdles. Lebanon’s financial crisis, where the exchange rate has plummeted to 100,000 Lebanese pounds per U.S. dollar, has worsened the people’s plight, with scarce job opportunities and an ongoing housing crisis, particularly as many Lebanese themselves remain displaced following the recent conflict.

According to Shouman, Wa Ta’awanu has assisted around 45,000 Shiite families through its initiatives. However, despite these efforts, many of the refugees continue to face significant financial hardships, struggling to meet their basic needs as they navigate a precarious existence far from home.

“Most Shia refugees entered the country through unofficial channels, making it nearly impossible to obtain legal residency,” Shouman added. “This, in turn, prevents their children from enrolling in schools and further exacerbates their economic hardship. We faced difficulty in finding jobs for our Syrian brothers because of the scarcity of work and business opportunities in the region.” 

He added that many refugees have now turned to agriculture as a temporary means to cover daily expenses.

“We do not engage in humanitarian work just because the Syrians are Shiite,” he said. “We work to help the oppressed and those in need, regardless of their nationality or faith.” 

This article is published in collaboration with Egab.

Safaa Sallal is a Syrian journalist focusing on humanitarian, social and developmental issues.