He explained that the attacks took place in Syria’s littoral region, an area long known for its large Alawite and Christian populations. The major Christian communities in the region include Assyrian Christians—such as Chaldeans and Syriacs—found mainly in Iraq and Syria; and Maronite Christians, who are concentrated in Lebanon. Most of the Alawites who fled across the border have taken refuge in areas of northern Lebanon where Alawite communities already exist, while Christians are sheltering within Christian towns and villages.