A torching of a Christmas tree in Suqaylabiyah, Syria on Monday, is raising fears that Christian minorities could be objects of sectarian attacks after the fall of Bashar al-Assad‘s regime earlier in the month.
Online trending videos show the tree burning in the town square just days after it was lit for Christmas.
Hundreds of Christians protested in Damascus on Monday night, chanting, “We demand the rights of Christians” as they marched toward the Orthodox Patriarchate headquarters. They fear for their safety under the new HTS-led administration, which toppled Assad earlier this month.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that foreign fighters linked to the extremist group Ansar al-Tawhid, which has ties to al-Qaeda, were responsible for the attack.
In response, an HTS religious leader denounced the act, insisting the attackers were “not Syrian” and promising swift justice. “The tree will be restored and lit up by tomorrow morning,” the leader said.
Local media later confirmed this promise was fulfilled.
Rare Value Of Secular Dictatorships
Yet, the damage extends beyond the tree itself. Christian communities, already fearful of the Islamist group’s rise to power, are questioning their place in Syria without Assad. “If we’re not allowed to live our Christian faith in our country, as we used to, then we don’t belong here anymore,” one demonstrator was heard saying.
An Orthodox church in Hama was recently targeted in a shooting, and a Christian cemetery in Mhareh was vandalized. HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, Abu Mohamed al-Jolani, publicly declared his commitment to unity and minority rights.
But these assurances are hardly comforting given these attacks, fueling doubts if the group is willing to protect all Syrians.
While HTS has distanced itself from its jihadist roots and repeatedly stated that its vision for Syria includes education for women, minority representation, and an end to sectarian divisions, the group remains designated as a terrorist organization by the UN, US, EU, and UK.
The fall of Assad, a dictator who ruled Syria for 24 years, underscores, in the view of JolibaLive News!, sometimes the value of dictatorships in holding diverse societies together from descending into sectarian violence and chaos.
Today, in Syria, minorities such as Christians, Druze, Alawites, and others face an uncertain future, and those who insisted on the fall of Assad has a moral duty to help support them.
For now, incidents like the burning of the Christmas tree serve as a reminder of the dangers that lie ahead for Syria’s fragile coexistence.
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