The exodus of Christians from Syria continues even as local rebel groups make new progress against the regime. In the past 10 years, some two-thirds of Syria’s Christian population has fled. While Christians made up about 10 percent of the population in 2011, estimates today put that number at just two percent. In contrast to other minorities in Syria such as Druze, Kurds, and Alawites, the number of Christians has fallen from 1.2 million to about 350,000 today – and there is no end in sight. Christians are leaving the Middle East. This trend is continuing not only in Syria, but also in Iraq and Lebanon. The main reasons are the poor economic situation and the lack of personal security. Many leave seeking security and economic stability in European countries.
Before the civil war, Aleppo was the city with the third largest Christian population in the Middle East after Cairo and Beirut. In Aleppo there are around 30 churches of all Christian denominations: Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Maronite, Assyrian, Protestant, and others. The brutal and surprising attack on Aleppo by Islamist groups under the banner of “Fatah al-Sham” a few days ago has brought back memories that Christians will never forget, when ISIS and other jihadists occupied and destroyed churches. The expulsion of Christians and Yazidis in 2014, the religious persecution by Islamists, and of course the mass murders of Christians and other minorities, especially in Iraq but also in Syria, are unforgettable. The destruction of churches and Christian cemeteries was documented in detail at the time.
Those today taking control in Aleppo are essentially the same jihadists that previously conquered the city. They are mostly all former ISIS terrorists. After the defeat of ISIS, its fighters split into several factions that formed alliances with one another. This is how the “new ISIS” de facto came into being. Here are the names of the organizations that are now grouped under the euphemism “rebels” or “Syrian opposition”:
- Turkish jihadists
- Ansar al-Islam
- Caucasian Emirate
- Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
- Islamic Front
- Jabhat al-Nusra
- Jabhat Fath al-Sham
- Jabhat Ansar al-Din
- Jaysh al-Sunna
All of these groups, as mentioned, have joined together to form the “Committee for the Liberation of the Levant.” They are Sunni-Salafist organizations.
Invasion and occupation
Over the past several days since the new offensive began, no exceptional incidents against Christians have so far been recorded, with the exception of an incident against a Christmas tree in Aleppo on the first day of the new occupation. Apart from this incident, no exceptional incidents against Christians or entities associated with Christianity have been reported in the city.
At the same time, however, other incidents against Syria’s Kurdish minority occurred: Ethnic cleansing in two Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo, Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiyah. The Kurds were forced to leave these neighborhoods. Tens of thousands of Kurds have left Aleppo and are now living in tents in areas controlled by Kurdish militias. Thousands of houses have been cleared out and it is unclear what has happened to Kurdish property.
🔴🔞The war of the Islamic terrorist factions supported by Turkey on Aleppo aims to displace the Kurds from their historical land and bring about a demographic change in the region. Turkey is a terrorist state and supports terrorists openly amid international silence. pic.twitter.com/Q4HWn81pf8
— ضابط || Rojava security (@DalgashRasoul5) December 2, 2024
Back to the Christians
The Islamist groups that have taken over Aleppo want to conquer all of Syria. It is no secret that their ultimate goal is to overthrow the Assad regime and gain complete control of all of the country. These groups seek to first take all of Aleppo, then the city of Hama, then Homs and finally Damascus, to make the final battle for President Bashar al-Assad’s palace. However, their strategy is different from that of ISIS before them. These groups have been waiting for this offensive for almost a decade. The weakening of Iran and Hezbollah on the Lebanese front acted as a catalyst. In their new strategy, these groups have decided to behave respectfully toward the Christians for now, to show the free world that they are a worthy alternative to Assad’s rule. The Islamist groups are experienced and this time they are trying to prove that they do not represent “radical Islam,” despite the documented atrocities they have committed in recent days against Kurds and regime soldiers. They consider these two groups to be legitimate targets–the soldiers because they belong to a corrupt regime, and the Kurds because they are allies of the Jews.
An image that will remain a disgrace to Europe the international coalition and America. A Kurdish fighter falls into the grip of the terrorist dogs of Islam supported by terrorist Türkiye This is an image that will remain and we will not forget it and revenge will be more severe pic.twitter.com/M5Ksdh74qZ
— ضابط || Rojava security (@DalgashRasoul5) December 2, 2024
Despite these changes, there is no doubt that Christians in Aleppo live a life of fear. Three weeks before Christmas, there are no signs of the upcoming festival, and there will probably be no decorations or Christmas trees. Even if Christian churches are not destroyed, people do not go out on the streets without their heads covered. Christian life under a radical Islamist regime that wants to re-establish the Islamic caliphate is not an option. Every Christian will choose to leave the city, especially women. In time, and it won’t be long, Muslim men will abduct, marry, and even forcibly convert Christian women. A bleak future hangs over the Christian community in Aleppo, even if it is not presently under pressure.
New packaging, old content
Only a few years ago, the whole world was fighting in an international coalition against ISIS, mainly because of its crimes against humanity. Today, Islamist groups have realized that they must change course and demonstrate tolerance in order to gain legitimacy, or at least not be fought by overwhelming Western forces. This is the new strategy of these organizations. But the videos that have been circulating in recent days prove beyond doubt that they are committing war crimes: shooting and mistreating prisoners, expelling Kurds, and many other crimes against humanity. All this proves that nothing good can be expected from these groups. Under the regime of Bashar al-Assad, minorities enjoy the protection of the authorities. It is not pleasant to praise Assad, but it must be said: under Assad, Christians are much better off than under those Islamist factions who consider Bashar’s rule heretical because he belongs to the Alawite community.
From the first day of the occupation of Aleppo, Islamist groups tried to show that they would not harm Christians and would allow them to celebrate their festivals. There are two videos: a clearly-staged propaganda video describing the relationship with Christians and another propaganda video produced by the factions to prove that they are at peace with Christians.
Propaganda video 1
Explanation: A staged propaganda video shows a young man being woken up by the Islamist groups filming him. He begins by greeting them in an Islamic manner (“In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful”). Then, throughout the video, he repeatedly says his name: George (Christian) from Aleppo. He thanks the groups and says that everything is fine and repeats his name again (stressing that he is a Christian, since the groups do not harm Christians). He continues: “I woke up free, nobody bothered me, my name is George, I went to the toilet and nobody bothered me – everything is fine.” Throughout the video, the young man emphasizes that his name is George Elias, an obviously Christian name, from Aleppo.
Propaganda video 2
Explanation: A journalist with links to Islamist groups interviews a Christian boy and girl named Miriam. The journalist begins by saying that he is standing next to young people decorating a Christmas tree (supposedly conducting a random interview without prior arrangement). The journalist asks the boy: “Is anyone bothering you?” The answer: “Nobody bothers us, nobody bothers us.” (Supposedly, they lead a normal life in the shadow of the holidays.) The journalist asks Miriam questions about Christmas and again the same question: “Is anyone bothering you?” Miriam answers: “No, no.” The girl mentions that she is afraid of the bombings (which are only carried out by Assad’s army and the Russians).
Despite the propaganda portrayal that Islamist groups allow Christians in Aleppo to live a normal and safe life, the reality for Christians remains one of fear and insecurity while living under the control of radical factions that aim to establish an Islamic caliphate in the long term. The apparent tolerance serves primarily to gain international legitimacy, while the actual crimes against minorities and opponents of the groups, such as ethnic cleansing and war crimes against the Kurds, continue behind the scenes. The decorated Christmas tree and staged interviews cannot conceal the dire situation of the Christian community.
