Thousands of Syria’s Alawites protest against what they say is discrimination by the government

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Thousands of members of Syria’s Alawite minority sect demonstrated in the country’s central and coastal regions Tuesday against what they say are acts of discrimination by the new Syrian government.

An opposition war monitor said security forces opened fire, wounding one person, while authorities said they protected the protesters, according to state media.

The protests come after several waves of sectarian clashes in the country since the fall of President Bashar Assad in December last year by insurgents led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham of interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

Assad, himself an Alawite, had fled the country to Russia. Members of his sect have been subjected to crackdowns. In March, an ambush carried out by Assad’s supporters against security