Christian organization steps up to safeguard community in response to increasing violence in Syria

Exclusive report: The increase in violent attacks and deaths in Syria during the reign of the new government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa has caused fear within the Christian community about what lies ahead.

Jeff King, the head of International Christian Concern, expressed his concern, stating, “The situation for Christians in Syria has become extremely dire, and it appears that they are on the brink of a major crisis.”

“A jihadist storm is beginning to rain down on them and, so how long can faith hold?” King added.

A group of Syrian Christians called Eagles of Antioch from Damascus has taken a stand to protect their neighborhoods and religious beliefs in the aftermath of the fall of the former Syrian leader Bashar Al Assad.

Since Assad fell and HTS took power, Georgios claims that most of the attacks against Christian communities were carried out by foreign factions or radical elements, and is not government sanctioned.

Despite reports and accusations that HTS members have been targeting Christians, he claims, “It’s not HTS at all, HTS is trying to avoid any clashes with Christians. HTS is now the state and we as Christians try to support stability,” Georgios asserted.

Syrian families who fled the clashes in Syria arrive to cross into the northern village of Heker al-Daher in Akkar province, Lebanon, on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.  (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

HTS promised not to target religious minorities during their lightning path to seizing Damascus and toppling Assad. The group made assurances to the communities they controlled that they would allow religious minorities to peacefully coexist and would not be targeted for their faith. 

Yet, King’s organization isn’t as hopeful. “Since HTS toppled the Assad regime in December 2024, the environment has been precarious at best. But the bloodshed that unfolded March 6-10 in Latakia and Tartous represents a frightening escalation. According to the Syrian Observatory, the violence claimed over 1,540 lives—predominantly civilians, with reports indicating between four and a dozen Christians among the casualties.”

He continued, “While HTS hasn’t yet implemented an official anti-Christian policy (they’re treading carefully thinking about public perception as they solidify control), certain factions and individual fighters are already targeting Christians with violence.”

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group’s chief Abu Mohamed al-Jolani checks the damage following an earthquake in the village of Besnaya in Syria’s rebel-held northwestern Idlib province at the border with Turkey, on February 7, 2023.  (Omar Haj Kadour/AFP via Getty Images)

King’s organization noted that the new interim Syrian constitution states, “The religion of the President of the Republic is Islam,” Article III declares, and “Islamic jurisprudence is the principal source of legislation.” The group says that “this language is slightly starker than Syria’s previous constitution, which cited Islamic law as simply one source among others.” 

International Christian Concern (ICC) also noted that the interim constitution also guarantees protection “for all divine religions.” The ICC wrote that the document “seems to indicate that the government intends to tolerate Christians and other religious minorities.”

And there are some encouraging signs according to the Eagles of Antioch, who say they coordinate closely with HTS in Damascus, according to Georgios, benefiting from the presence of educated HTS fighters in the city. This collaboration ensures that Islamic rules are not imposed on Christian neighborhoods. Together with HTS police, they work to prevent crimes, maintaining security and harmony within these communities.

A wooden cross and Syrian flag are seen at an Eagles of Antioch protest in Damascus in December 2024. (Eagles of Antioch)

Some of the volunteers have weapons that are licensed and sanctioned by HTS officials. They communicate and coordinate with them and provide information on the people who committed any crimes.

Yet despite some positive signs, King said, “Syria’s Christian population has already experienced a devastating decline, dropping from 1.5 million before the conflict to somewhere between 300,000 and 500,000 now. The community exists in a state of perpetual anxiety, doors locked, waiting tensely for the situation to deteriorate further,” he warned.