Christian Communities In Syria Face Mass Killings As Islamist Rule Expands

Syria’s Christian population is facing a deadly purge at the hands of the new Islamist regime, which has executed over 1,800 people in just the past few days. Towns that once housed thriving religious minorities have been turned into graveyards, with families rounded up and killed by government-backed fighters.

After Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia in December, Syria quickly fell under the control of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Al Qaeda-linked faction. By late January, Ahmed al-Sharaa had been named Syria’s interim president. His leadership was presented as a step toward stability, but instead, Christians and Alawites are now being hunted down in coordinated massacres.

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In Latakia and nearby areas, witnesses report seeing entire villages burned and churches destroyed. Militants are executing priests in front of their congregations and murdering families in their homes. Many Christians have fled into the mountains, but there is no safe passage to escape the violence.

Despite clear evidence of religious persecution, international leaders have offered little more than vague statements condemning the violence. The United Nations has acknowledged the bloodshed but failed to call attention to the targeted killings of Christians. Meanwhile, Western media coverage has largely focused on political developments rather than the mass executions taking place.

Israel, which has the ability to intervene, has so far remained on the sidelines. Though officials have spoken out against the dangers of an Islamist-controlled Syria, no action has been taken to protect Christian communities or prevent further slaughter.

As Islamist forces tighten their grip on the country, those who remain in Syria’s Christian enclaves are left with few options. With no outside help, they are trapped in a country that no longer guarantees their survival.

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