Why Syria’s Christians Fear New Government

The June 22 suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus's Dweila suburb claimed at least 25 lives and injured over 60 worshippers during evening Mass. The attacker, initially subdued by congregation members, detonated a suicide vest inside the 250–strong congregation, inflicting devastating casualties. Syrian authorities first attributed the massacre to Islamic State, but it was later claimed by Saraya Ansar al-Sunna—a previously obscure extremist group that splintered from HTS (formerly Hayat Tahrir al-Sham). This faction said the attack was retribution for a government prohibition on Islamic proselytizing in the Christian neighborhood.

The incident amplifies the fears of Syria’s Christian minority, long squeezed between extremist violence and distrust in the new interim government led by Ahmad al‑Sharaa—once an HTS commander turned Syria’s interim president. Christian leaders, including Patriarch John X, demanded full accountability and genuine protection, stressing that mere official condemnation isn’t enough. They highlight a growing pattern of sectarian tension—echoed in recent attacks on Alawites and Druze—and warn that without faithful protection and inclusion, many minorities may feel compelled to leave Syria altogether.

Source: The Cradle