Tags

Nihad Hassan is a Kurdish pastor living in Beirut, Lebanon. On various occasions, he has expressed concerns over the difficulties encountered by the Kurdish people in Syria, particularly those who have converted from Islam. Syrian authorities claim that the Lebanese pastor's social media comments were offensive. Consequently, he was arrested on July 20th while visiting family in Afrin, a city located in northern Syria that primarily consists of Kurdish people.

At least 20 worshippers were killed and dozens of others wounded when a lone attacker targeted the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church near Damascus on June 22nd. Approximately 350 people were inside the church building when the assailant suddenly opened fire and then detonated a suicide vest near the entrance of the church. The resulting blast not only killed those inside the building but also several people who had been standing within the immediate vicinity.

The Syrian city of Ras al-Ein, which happens to be located along the country's border with Türkiye, is currently under the control of a coalition of Islamist militias associated with the Turkish-backed rebel group, the Syrian National Army (SNA). In June 2024, a SNA commander named Abdulaziz Al-Sawadi visited the St. Thomas Syriac Orthodox Church in Ras al-Ein and expressed his commitment to develop a positive relationship with the small number of Christians remaining in the area. During his visit, the commander also vowed to provide the believers protection.

Radwan Muhammad is a Kurdish teacher and headmaster for a Christian school in the city of Afrin in northern Syria. He was ordered by the Sham Legion (Faylaq al-Sham) -- a coalition of Sunni Muslim groups -- to turn over the school building for an Islamic school. According to local sources, Radwan told them, "I will hand you the building in one case only: if Jesus Christ comes to earth again."

Christians who have fled war-ravaged areas of Syria are facing continued persecution while trying to seek refuge in camps set up in Jordan, Lebanon and elsewhere. A substantial number of them are being blocked by United Nations officials when attempting to enter the camps because the majority of UN officials working in these countries are Muslims. Subsequently, many of the rejected refugees are being forced to live in hiding elsewhere, risking the danger of deportation and/or possible death if found.

When American troops pulled out of Syria, and Turkish troops moved in to establish a "safe zone" in northeast Syria, there were understandable concerns about the safety of the people living in this area. Turkish authorities gave assurances that their forces would not persecute religious minorities, including a significant number of Christians. However, recent reports have indicated otherwise.

As the Turkish military, along with allied Syrian rebels, continue their operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria, Christian communities are concerned about the repercussions that may follow. While the campaign is not religiously motivated, believers in the region face particular vulnerabilities.

On July 11th, the Syrian-Orthodox church in Qamishli was the target of a car bomb attack. Although there were no known fatalities, at least eleven people were injured. Cars and buildings in the area, including the church facility, sustained serious damages. According to one source, the injuries would have been far worse had the attack happened 30 minutes earlier when the vespers (evening prayers) had ended.

Hundreds of thousands of Kurdish people of northern Syria are being forced to flee for their lives as they face attacks from Islamist militias supported by the Turkish military. Many from rural areas surrounding Afrin (a city located in what was considered the Kurdish region) had initially fled into the city. However, on March 18th, Kurdish soldiers in Afrin were also forced to flee, leaving the city under the control of the Islamists. Turkish president Recep Erdogan has promised to repopulate the city with non-Kurdish Arab Syrians who are presently dwelling in Turkey as refugees.

A new al-Qaeda-led jihadist coalition, Hay'at Tahrir al Sham, recently perpetrated several devastating attacks deep inside the ancient city of Damascus. On March 19th, the jihadist group launched a massive military assault just two kilometres from the walls of the Old City, having entered the area through tunnels. While they were eventually driven back, it is the closest the militants have come to the city centre.