A new report by the Syriac Strategic Research Center (SSRC), issued in October 2025, documents a sharp rise in targeted attacks and systemic violations against Syria’s Christian population following the political transition that began in late 2024. The report, titled “Protecting Syria’s Religious and Ethnic Minorities: The Need for Urgent Action,” presents verified evidence of killings, vandalism of churches, desecration of cemeteries, intimidation, forced displacement, and state-sanctioned discrimination.
Covering the period from December 2024 to October 2025, the SSRC records dozens of incidents across Hama, Homs, Aleppo, Damascus, Tartus, Latakia, and Suwayda. Among the most severe are the destruction of St. Michael’s Church in Suwayda, the suicide bombing at Mar Elias Church in Damascus that killed 25 worshippers, and the massacre of Father Khaled Mazhar and his family in Swayda. Multiple cases also reveal attacks on cemeteries, theft of Christian properties, and hate campaigns encouraging violence against Christians.
The report highlights alarming trends:
- Religious persecution: Churches and Christian symbols have been repeatedly targeted, with crosses removed, icons destroyed, and clergy attacked.
- Sectarian incitement: Leaflets and social media campaigns have circulated in regions like Tartus, calling for violence against Christians.
- Institutional discrimination: The interim government’s revised school curriculum replaces secular national values with overtly Islamist language, labeling Jews and Christians as “those who have gone astray” and redefining “martyrdom” as dying “for the sake of God.”
- Forced displacement: Systematic violence in Homs and Qusayr has forced hundreds of Christian families to flee, with property confiscations and kidnappings continuing unchecked.
Despite occasional apologies or compensation by local armed groups, the SSRC notes that no transparent investigations or accountability mechanisms exist. The absence of justice perpetuates impunity and deepens fears among Syria’s religious minorities.
The report concludes with urgent calls for international action:
- Independent UN-led investigations into violations.
- Protection of Christian heritage and places of worship under international law.
- Emergency humanitarian aid for displaced Christians in Homs, Hama, Sweida, Aleppo, and coastal regions.
- Monitoring and sanctioning actors responsible for sectarian hate speech and incitement.
The SSRC warns that the unchecked escalation of sectarian violence risks extinguishing one of the Middle East’s oldest Christian communities — and that protecting Syria’s pluralistic fabric is essential for any genuine peace or national reconciliation.
