Mar Sarkis Monastery, Maalula, Syria / Adobe Stock
CV NEWS FEED // International Christian Concern President Jeff King is warning that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group that overthrew the al-Assad regime in Syria, is deceiving international onlookers about their inclusion of Christians in the country.
“HTS made up of ISIS and Al Qaeda fighters will not change their ways just as the proverbial leopard can’t change its spots,” King stated in a Jan. 6 emailed press release. “This is a reality, despite their calm assurances to the international community designed to forestall any military moves against them while they consolidate power.”
The United States has designated HTS, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, as a terrorist group. HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, also known as Ahmed al-Sharaa, met with Catholic and non-Catholic Christian leaders in late December 2024 and assured them that “the new Syria will be inclusive” for Christians, according to Vatican News.
But the reality for Christians in Syria is one of fear and danger, King warned in the release.
In December 2024, almost 80 of the some 325 Christian families living in Maaloula, in southwestern Syria, fled the town out of fear, according to ACI MENA. The al-Assad regime had prohibited certain Muslims, who had been harming Christians and churches, from entering Maaloula. But after HTS toppled the al-Assad government, this restriction was no longer in place, so the Muslims who had previously been barred from entry returned.
A “church source” who requested anonymity told ACI MENA that upon the return, five Christian families received threats about seizing their farmland.
“Some Christians were also told to leave their homes and the town or they would face death,” the source said.
In late December 2024, two Christian homes were broken into and robbed, and gunfire occurred near a priest giving Christmas gifts at a kindergarten, according to the source. A Christian man’s home and café were also seized.
On Dec. 26, there was also an attempted robbery at a Christian man’s farm, which escalated to a physical fight between the farmer and assailant after security committee members did not accompany the farmer who requested help. The robber was killed in the robbery attempt, according to the report.
This incident, in which authorities did not come to the farmer’s need, led to the almost 80 Christian families leaving Maaloula, according to ACI MENA.
“Christians in Maaloula do not feel secure,” the church source said. “In the absence of the state we called upon, safety has vanished — particularly since weapons have been entirely removed from Christians while remaining in the hands of others. We are advocates of peace and want to build Maaloula hand in hand with all its components.”
The International Christian Concern press release linked this report as one of several documentations of Christian persecution in Syria that has occurred within the past month.
“These incidents show they will do what radical Islamists have always done: either push Christians into a semi-slave state or drive them out of Syria,” King said. “These incidents highlight the ongoing religious persecution and humanitarian crisis in Syria, particularly affecting the Christian minority. Maaloula, where Aramaic, the language of Jesus, is still spoken, faces potential cultural and religious cleansing, emphasizing the need for international attention and action to protect these ancient communities.”
The threats Christians are facing in Maaloula are a reality, King reiterated.
“We cannot stand by as this ancient Christian community is pushed to the brink of extinction. It’s imperative that the global community acts to safeguard these historical and cultural landmarks, ensuring the survival of Christian presence in Syria,” King said. “This is a battle for the survival of Christians in Syria, for human rights, and for the soul of cultural diversity that is almost extinguished in the Middle East.”
