Syrian actress Slaaf Fawakhri has expressed her support for fellow actor Jamal Suleiman, who is currently facing accusations of sectarianism and bias towards the Alawite sect amidst the ongoing political tensions in Syria.
اضافة اعلان
In a post shared on her social media platform "X," Fawakhri published a photo with Suleiman, accompanied by the caption: "No matter how far we are, you remain dear and respected, and I stand in solidarity with you."
She continued, "You have never been sectarian, and none of us will ever be. We are Syrians, and we will remain so."
The controversy began when Syrian academic and activist Maysa Qabbani sparked a lot of debate on social media after alleging a connection between Suleiman and a newly formed Alawite organization that called on the US administration to maintain economic sanctions on Syria.
Suleiman denied these accusations after facing a barrage of criticism from Syrian online activists who reacted to Qabbani's claims. He explained that he met with some members of the Alawite organization during a visit to the United States in February but did so before the organization was officially established, and they took photos together.
He clarified, "In truth, I have no affiliation with this organization, and I am not a member of it (I even contacted them to have my photo removed from their website). I cannot be part of any sectarian organization or association because I simply do not feel any sectarian allegiance. I have stood, and will always stand, with the oppressed, no matter their sect."
Qabbani, who initially accused Suleiman, reacted to his denial, stating, "Jamal Suleiman denies his affiliation with the Alawite organization that was established in Washington, which I mentioned in the previous video. I may have been mistaken."
Suleiman, who was born to an Alawite father and a Sunni mother, is known for his strong opposition to the regime of the ousted president Bashar al-Assad, and he joined the organized political movement against Assad's regime after 2011.
The newly formed Syrian-American organization is called "The Alawite Organization" and was established amid violence and security chaos in the coastal region of Syria, home to many Alawite followers, including Bashar al-Assad. The violence resulted in many civilian casualties during raids and armed clashes between Assad's militias and the security forces of the new government that took control after his regime.
