(ZENIT News / Damascus, 17.12.2024).- The toppling of Bashar Al-Assad’s dictatorship, by Islamist groups in Syria, creates a new situation for Christians. Many Christians fear for their future given the country’s new rulers.
Abu Mohammed Al-Julani, leader of the Organization for the Liberation of the Levant (HTS) group, led the attacks on the Syrian government of al-Assad’s regime. His group is made up of Suni militants headed by a former member of Al Qaeda. Al-Julani severed his ties with the Islamist terrorist organization in 2016, but his deep down position regarding coexistence with Christians is unknown. In political matters, he declared to Western governments on December 8 that he will seek the nation’s stability. “The country will be rebuilt. The fear stemmed from the presence of the regime. Now, Syria will move towards development, reconstruction and stability.”
Mohammed al-Bashir, the head of another group, which promoted the fall off the Assad regime, is now Syria’s interim Prime Minister. He said on national television that he will stay in this office until March 1, heading a transition government.
The Christian leaders of Aleppo met on December 9 with representatives of the armed groups, according to Fides Agency.
The meeting was held in the Franciscan convent of Aleppo, where the Apostolic Vicariate resides of Latin Rite Catholics. A Bishop who attended the meeting said that the forces in power are of Islamist origin and it seems they want to maintain the ordinary life of the ecclesial communities.
In regard to the meeting, Monsignor Audo said to Fides Agency that the rebel groups want to build trust, “respecting our traditions and our prayers. I told them that we, as Arab Christians, represent a unique reality in history and in the world. I recalled some examples of the history of Arab Muslims with Christians and the Christians’ contribution to that history. I added that the status of the dhimmi [non-Muslim citizens in a State under Islamic Law] can be interpreted both negatively as well as positively, and that Christians can’t be second class citizens, hence, we must work together. They seemed very interested in these considerations.”
Given the former relations with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, there is mistrust of the leaders now governing Syria. Monsignor Audo concluded: “We were all present: Bishops, Priests and Religious. The meeting was very positive.”
That same day, Argentine Father Hugo Alaniz, parish priest of Our Lady of the Annunciation in Aleppo since 2017, after working several years in different Arab countries, said to Crux online newspaper: “In 2012 and 2013, insurgent groups attacked Christians and other minorities in some regions. Now many people feared that something like this could happen again and left their homes.”
Father Alaniz said that he was informed by HTS that no church will be closed and that Christians will be respected. “They said that minorities will be treated well. Women will not be obliged to wear the hijab. The (official) free days will be Thursdays and Fridays, but for Christian children they will continue to be Saturdays and Sundays.”
