'''Alawites''' are a [[Islam|Islamic]] religous group in the Middle East. It was founded in [[Iraq]] and belongs to the [[Shiite]] spectrum. Alawites were often confused with the [[Alevi|Alevis]].
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The '''Alawite''' sect is an [[Islam]]ic religious group in the [[Middle East]]. The movement was founded in [[Iraq]] and belongs to the [[Shiite]] spectrum. Alawites were often confused with the [[Alevi]]s.
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The [[Syrian]] elite is made up of Alawites. When the 2011 [[Syrian War]] broke out, most Alawites sided with the [[Assad]] regime against the mostly [[Sunni]] [[Arab]] rebels. The Free Alawite Brigade of the [[Free Syrian Army]] was a notable exception.
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Around 2020, many Alawites began to reconsider their stance to the regime, as they were displaced in their status as national elite by Russian and Persian military advisors.