The European Syriac Union (ESU) expresses deep concern and outrage over the recent escalation of systematic attacks targeting the Christian community in the town of Qusayr, in the Homs countryside of Syria. In September 2025, a series of grave incidents has been recorded: armed robberies, kidnappings for ransom, torture, assaults on homes, and finally the deliberate burning of houses with civilians inside. These are not isolated cases but constitute clear evidence of systematic and organized violence
directed against a specific religious identity. Specifically:
- Monday, September 15, 2025: A Christian family was subjected to an armed robbery, and their belongings were looted.
- Tuesday, September 16, 2025: Young Ala Faeq Jros was kidnapped, brutally tortured, suffered a fractured skull, and his family was forced to pay a large ransom for his release.
- Wednesday, September 17, 2025: Homes belonging to Christian families came under fire from masked assailants.
- Thursday, September 18, 2025: Violence reached its peak when the home of Selim Wakim was deliberately set on fire. Inside were women, an elderly man, and a child. The house was completely destroyed, and the occupants barely managed to escape with their lives.
These developments demonstrate that the remaining Christian community in the region is being systematically pushed toward displacement and that its very survival is under threat. Even more alarming is the failure of the Syrian state to provide protection, its refusal to punish the perpetrators, and its dismissal of the events as “baseless rumors.” This leaves the victims utterly defenseless and emboldens the aggressors. The European Syriac Union (ESU) calls upon the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, and all democratic states to act immediately and in coordination. The current Syrian government must be pressed, through strong diplomatic and political measures, to dismantle the armed groups that are operating within or in close connection to the state apparatus. These groups must be identified without delay, their chains of command exposed, and their activities brought to an end. The grave human rights violations they commit—kidnapping, torture, arson, and systematic intimidation—can no longer be ignored. Silence by the international community amounts to complicity in these crimes. Until decisive action is taken, ESU demands comprehensive sanctions (including targeted visa bans, asset freezes, and diplomatic isolation), independent international investigations, and urgent humanitarian protection measures.
As the European Syriac Union (ESU), we strongly condemn these attacks and call on the international community to act without delay to ensure the protection of Christians in Syria. We stress that dismantling these groups, which are linked to or covertly supported by the government, and bringing those responsible to justice are unavoidable steps that require international pressure and sanctions. Finally, we urge all democratic nations to take responsibility by establishing effective mechanisms that will guarantee the survival and protection of all religious and cultural communities in the region.
It must not be forgotten that targeting civilians based on their identity or faith is a crime against humanity. Such crimes must never go unpunished. Silence and inaction equal complicity in the atrocities being committed.
The solidarity shown today is vital not only for the Syriac and Christian people but also for the future of peace and coexistence among all the peoples of Syria.
