Factbox: Who are the Alawites?

(Reuters) - WHO ARE THE ALAWITES? -- The roots of Alawism go back to the 9th and 10th centuries in the teachings of Mohammad ibn Nusayr and his follower Hussein ibn Hamdan al-Khasabi. -- Throughout their history, the Alawites have been the victims of persecution. They were gradually conquered by waves of Crusaders, Mamluks, and Ottomans, in addition to fighting a number of internecine wars