In the Turkish coastal town Samandag, the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has met with little celebration.

It was only a few months ago that stalls in the region sold carpets and keychains emblazoned with the face of the Syrian president.

While to millions he was the Butcher of Aleppo, in Alawite-majority Samandag, just 18 miles from Syria, he represented something else – a protector of the Shia minority sect to which the Assad clan belongs.

“Bashar al-Assad was a protector of the Alawites,” said Bulent Kuş, 50, staring out at sea. “With him gone, we Alawites may face pressures.”

“Now that the Sunni Muslims have come to govern [in Syria], I hope they won‘t harm the Alawite people.”