A persecution analyst has advised caution regarding reports of Christian casualties in recent violence in Syria, as conflicting information circulates about the extent of targeted attacks.
More than a thousand people were reportedly killed in clashes that erupted last Thursday, though it remains unclear how many of them were Christians. The violence followed the rise of Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al Sharaa, who has vowed to pursue those responsible for the fighting between supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad and the country’s new Islamist rulers.
Dr. Martin Parsons, CEO of The Lindisfarne Centre for the Study of Christian Persecution, explained that the situation is complex, with an armed insurgency emerging in the Alawite-dominated coastal region—formerly a stronghold of Assad’s government. Many Alawites and Christians lived there, and as fighting broke out between government forces and insurgents, large numbers of civilians fled.
“There were also Christians living there. There was fighting between government fighters and this insurgency, which is led by a former Brigadier in Assad’s forces, and large numbers of Alawites and Christians fled. We also know that there were targeted attacks on civilians,” Dr. Parsons told Premier Christian News.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that 745 civilians have died, most in shootings, with additional casualties among security forces and militants. Some media outlets suggest that Christians were deliberately targeted, but Dr. Parsons urges caution until further verification is available.
“The Greek Orthodox Patriarch in Damascus said on Saturday in a sermon that some of those killed included Christians, but that’s the most detail we’ve actually got at the moment,” he noted. “We don’t know why they were killed—whether they were caught up in the violence, targeted for being Assad loyalists, or attacked because of their faith.”
Since 2011, approximately 80% of Syria’s Christian population has left the country, and the situation has become increasingly difficult under the new leadership. Dr. Parsons acknowledged that while reports of mass targeting remain unconfirmed, fear among Christians is rising.
“The biggest threat to the Assad regime was the Islamists. That meant Christians were relatively safe under his rule, as long as they didn’t challenge the government,” he explained. “Many Christians held government jobs because of that. What we are seeing now is retaliation against those associated with the past government, with a particular focus on Alawites, but Christians have been caught up in it as well.”
As uncertainty looms, Christian communities in Syria continue to face immense challenges, with many fearing for their future under the new regime.
