Armed attack on church in Hama, Syria

Armed assailants attacked a church in Hama, Syria, on 18 December, damaging property and desecrating Christian graves.

In a separate incident on 23 December, a group of eight men burned a Christmas tree in the Christian-majority town of Suqaylabiyah, near Hama.

These incidents reflect growing violence against religious minorities, heightening security concerns in the region.

In the first incident, the attackers initially stormed a house belonging to the church.

According to Nicolas Baalbaki, a senior church leader, they attempted to remove a cross from the building before parishioners intervened, forcing the assailants to retreat.

However, the attackers opened fire, leaving visible bullet marks on the church building’s façade.

The attackers desecrated Christian burial grounds in the area. Graves of Christian families were vandalised, highlighting the increasing targeting of religious sites.

The church immediately alerted local police, who arrived promptly at the scene. The police pursued the attackers and arrested several individuals, with additional patrols being deployed around sensitive religious sites in the city.

Colonel Maher Marei, Hama’s police commander, confirmed that gunfire was directed not only at the church but also at another area in the city. He assured that those responsible for the attack would be prosecuted.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the attack, but as of now, no group has claimed responsibility. In the wake of this incident, local authorities have increased security measures, deploying additional patrols around religious sites to prevent further attacks and ensure the safety of vulnerable communities.

This act of violence further exacerbates the tensions surrounding religious and ethnic groups in Syria, as such desecrations are seen as a direct attack on Christian heritage.

Syria sees protests after Christmas tree set on fire

Protests erupted across Syria after the burning of the Christmas tree. The attack, allegedly carried out by eight foreign (non-Syrian) fighters, sparked widespread outrage, particularly among the Christian community.

Demonstrations calling for protection for religious minorities were seen in several areas, including the Bab Touma neighbourhood in Damascus.

Protesters voiced their fears over the future of Christianity in Syria under the new Islamist leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has recently assumed control after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

While HTS has pledged to safeguard the rights of religious minorities, its past associations with jihadist groups and the presence of foreign fighters complicate the situation, deepening concerns about the safety of Syria’s Christian population.

Further reports, shared on social media, indicate that similar incidents occurred in the nearby town of Maharda, where gunfire was directed at Christian graves. The damage to graves in Maharda mirrors the destruction seen in Hama, amplifying fears within the Christian community across the region.

This attack comes amidst a wider pattern of violence since the Military Operations Department took control of Hama province on 5 December.

Local activists and eyewitnesses have documented numerous violations, including extrajudicial killings, destruction of homes, and attacks on both public and private property.

Testimonies suggest that elements of Islamist group Ansar al-Tawhid are involved in many of these violations, although some perpetrators have not yet been precisely identified.