To the President and Esteemed Members of Parliament,
Subject : Escalating Threats Against Syriac Christians in Syria – An Urgent Call for Action
The European Syriac Union (ESU) addresses you today with profound sorrow and grave concern following the horrific terrorist attack that occurred on 22 June 2025 at the Mar Elias Church in Damascus, Syria. Two armed assailants entered the church, opened fire on worshippers, and subsequently detonated explosives, killing and injuring dozens of innocent civilians gathered in prayer.
This barbaric act not only represents a heinous assault on the Syriac community but also constitutes a blatant violation of human dignity, religious freedom, and fundamental human rights. The massacre at Mar Elias Church marks a dangerous escalation in the ongoing campaign of terror aimed at erasing the Syriac presence from its ancestral homeland.
The memory of similar atrocities committed against Christians in Iraq remains vivid and painful. Now, in Syria, the rise in targeted threats—such as recent leaflets in rural Homs and Hama warning Syriac Christians with chilling messages like “You’re next”—raises the specter of renewed persecution.
It is with deep regret that we note the inability, and in some instances the unwillingness, of the Syrian Interim Government and affiliated armed groups to protect the Syriac people. In certain cases, these actors have remained passive in the face of these threats—or have even contributed to them. As a result, the Syriac community feels unprotected, exposed, and forsaken.
Support for the Levant National Council and the Right to Protection and Representation
In response to these growing threats, the Levant National Council was established on 7 May 2025 in the Wadi al-Nasara region—an area historically inhabited by the Syriac people and encompassing Homs, rural Hama, and areas surrounding Damascus. This region is not only a geographic territory but a cornerstone of the Syriac people’s religious, cultural, and historical identity.
The Council was founded to protect the Syriac population and to empower them to participate meaningfully in shaping their future. It represents a necessary and peaceful step toward addressing the current security vacuum and establishing a democratic civilian defense structure against extremist violence.
The European Syriac Union fully supports this initiative and affirms the Syriac people’s legitimate demands for security, self-governance, and political representation.
Our Urgent Appeal to the International Community :
We call upon the European Union, the United States, the United Nations, and all actors committed to peace and justice to :
- Initiate an independent international investigation into the recent and ongoing attacks against the Syriac community in Syria ;
- Implement immediate international protection mechanisms to safeguard the identity, culture, sacred sites, and lives of the Syriac people ;
- Recognize and support the Syriac community’s right to self-administration and political representation within Syria ;
- Take decisive and unequivocal measures against religious extremism and radical groups threatening peaceful coexistence.
The silence of the international community risks enabling further violence and impunity. The Syriac people must not be left behind—again. They seek only the right to live in freedom, safety, and dignity in the lands of their ancestors.
In light of this, we urge you—respected parliamentarians, government officials, and international decision-makers—to take swift diplomatic, political, and legal steps in support of the Syriac community. This is not only a call for protection, but a plea for a pluralistic, peaceful, and democratic Syria.
