After an 11-day campaign, rebel forces recently succeeded in toppling the 24-year reign of dictator Bashar al-Assad, who cracked down on dissent but promoted himself as the protector of Syria's minorities throughout his rule. While some Christians now place their hopes in the regime's fall, many viewed Assad as the "lesser evil."
The main rebel power behind the blitz is Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a local militant group led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani that appears to be motivated both by Islamism and nationalism. The United States has designated it as a foreign terrorist organization since 2018, but Al-Jolani has reportedly worked to project an image of tolerance and acceptance for Christians and other religious minorities.
Jeff King of International Chrisitan Concern (ICC) believes they are trying to appease the West by saying all the right things, namely that they want to be non-belligerent. That presumably that means against Israel, but he is not convinced.
"They know what to say," he told Washington Watch Monday. "They don't want to be attacked. They've just taken … a very fragile hold on power. Israel is attacking; we're attacking. They're gonna keep their head low and say the right things."
Meanwhile, the Christians who remained while millions fled during Syria's years-long civil war are now scrambling for their lives.
"This is the birthplace of Christianity. But with radicals free to do what they want, and war, and with Christians without protection – the ones that can flee do," said King.
In 2011, there were more than two million Christians in Syria. Al-Assad was a ruthless butcher to some minorities under his thumb, but for the most part, he left Christians alone.
"It used to be the safe haven for Christians in the Middle East," the ICC spokesman relayed. "He's a tough dictator, nasty, but the Christians were protected there."
About 80% of the Christians in Syria fled during the civil war. The several hundred thousand who remain in the area now have some tough times ahead of them.
"This is al-Qaeda and ISIS," King noted. "They're radical Islamists. They rebranded; they said, 'We're all about being modern and tolerant.' I don't believe it for a second. The leopard doesn't change its spots."
ICC is already responding to the massive need for food, water, tents, medical care, and more in the area. The organization is hoping to raise $500,000 to deliver that critical aid.
