By Rachid Hmami – Christian Solidarity International –
In the midst of ongoing turmoil across the Middle East, marked by instability in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, minorities often find themselves in the most vulnerable position. Lacking the protection of power or arms, they frequently suffer the most severe consequences. Among these minorities are the Christians of the Middle East, whose presence continues to dwindle under the weight of political unrest.
In Iraq, for example, the Christian population has plummeted from 1.5 million before the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein to approximately 150,000 today, according to the 2022 U.S. Religious Freedom Report. A similar fate now looms over Christians in Syria.
From protection to persecution
Under Assad’s authoritarian regime, Syrian Christians—though a minority—enjoyed a degree of stability and protection. They posed no threat to his rule, did not seek political power, and simply hoped to preserve their presence and safeguard their churches. But with the fall of Assad and the rise of Islamist factions, fear and uncertainty have taken hold.
Syrian Christians remember well what happened in Mosul when ISIS arrived: homes and properties belonging to Christians were marked with the Arabic letter “ن” (N), a reference to “Nasara”—a term used in Islamic literature for Christians. ISIS gave them a grim ultimatum: convert, pay a tax, or leave. While some may consider that merciful compared to the genocide and enslavement endured by the Yazidis, it marked a chilling warning for all Christians in the region.
A history of vulnerability
The rise of jihadist and Islamist rule across the Middle East is a nightmare scenario for Christians, whose collective memory is shaped by 1,400 years of recurring persecution. Periods of calm have always proven temporary, typically ending in forced conversions, massacres, expropriations, or mass displacement. The Armenian Genocide of the last century stands as one of the most horrific chapters in this long history—one that many fear will only truly end with the extinction of Christianity in the region.
Before Islam’s spread, much of the Middle East—including Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and North Africa—was predominantly Christian. Over time, through forced conversions, economic and social pressure, legal restrictions, migration, and outright violence, the Christian presence steadily declined. At the beginning of the 20th century, Christians made up 25–30% of Syria’s population. By the early 2000s, that number had shrunk to about 10%. Before 2011, there were around 1.5 million Christians in Syria; today, the number is estimated to be no more than 300,000. With Islamist forces rising to power, more are expected to flee, driven out by a system that increasingly restricts their freedoms and way of life.
Current threats under new leadership
After Assad’s regime collapsed, Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, assumed control. His appointments and public statements signal a vision of governance rooted in strict Sharia law. This has ominous implications for Syria’s Christian minority. Public Christian worship could be banned, crosses removed from public spaces, and religious ceremonies confined strictly within church walls.
In March, Islamist preachers associated with the new government began roaming the Christian quarters of Damascus in vans with loudspeakers, calling on Christians to convert to Islam—declaring it the only true religion. Many Christians were outraged, seeing these acts as alien and provocative intrusions into Syrian society. In another disturbing incident last December, armed members of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham publicly burned a Christmas tree in Aleppo. Although the group later replaced the tree and tried to reassure locals, the event left a deep scar and underscored the volatility Christians now live under.
Recent violence heightens fears
The gravest shock came with the massacre of Alawite civilians in Syria’s coastal region in March. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 1,700 Alawites were killed, alongside at least a dozen Christians. While the targeting of Alawites may be explained by their historical ties to the Assad regime, the Christian community drew a chilling conclusion: if well-armed Alawites could be massacred, what hope is there for Christians—scattered, unarmed, and unprotected?
The massacre was accompanied by theft, extortion, and personal vendettas—none of which spared Christians. Fear now grips their communities. Despite calls from the U.S., international organizations, and human rights groups for the protection and political inclusion of minorities, many Christians remain unconvinced. Who, they ask, will stop militant factions if they decide to act? Promises from the new regime are widely seen as diplomatic posturing aimed at international legitimacy, not sincere commitments to pluralism. After all, who protected the Christians of Mosul? Who saved the Christians of Raqqa? Who stopped the Alawite massacre? No one. Left to fend for themselves, Syrian Christians fear their fate is at the mercy of militant groups and the ideologies they enforce.
Today, Syria’s Christians live in anxious anticipation. In WhatsApp groups, they share news and videos from their spiritual leaders—some offering messages of hope, others discussing ways to stay united and rooted in their homeland. Their words reflect a mix of faith and fear, clinging to hope in the face of a future no one can predict.
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