Outrageous Christmas act sparks global fury

An act of arson against a Christmas tree in the predominantly Christian town of Suqaylabiyah has ignited protests across Syria and fuelled anxieties about the future of religious minorities under the new Islamist leadership.

Just days before Christmas Eve, a video surfaced on social media showing masked men setting fire to the tree in the town’s main square, sparking outrage and fear among Christians.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group which toppled President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, blamed foreign fighters for the incident and said they had been detained.

However, the incident has exposed underlying religious tensions and anxieties that have simmered since the recent change in power, with many fearing that the hard-line Islamist ideology of the new leadership could threaten Syria’s religious pluralism.

Protests erupted in Christian enclaves across the country, including the Kassa and Bab Touma neighborhoods of Damascus, with demonstrators demanding the protection of their rights and expressing anxieties about their future.

“Syria is free, non-Syrians should leave,” chanted some, highlighting concerns about the influence of foreign fighters.

Others carried crosses and Syrian flags, chanting “We will sacrifice our souls for our cross,”

“If we’re not allowed to live our Christian faith in our country, as we used to, then we don’t belong here anymore,” declared one demonstrator named Georges.

In response to the growing unrest, HTS representatives swiftly condemned the burning of the Christmas tree and vowed to safeguard the rights of all religious minorities, promising to repair the damaged tree.

A video circulated showing a religious figure from HTS assuring the crowd in Suqaylabiyah that the tree would be restored, even holding up a cross in a display of solidarity.

Syria is a diverse country, home to Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Christians, Druze, Alawite Shia, and Arab Sunnis, and the new leadership will need to navigate these complexities to foster a society where all groups feel safe and respected.

HTS, which began as a jihadist group espousing violence to achieve its goal of establishing an Islamic state, has in recent years adopted a more pragmatic approach.

As fighters marched to Damascus earlier this month, its leaders spoke about building a Syria for all Syrians.

However, the group remains designated as a terrorist organization by the UN, US, EU, and UK, though there are signs of a potential diplomatic shift.

The recent US decision to scrap a $10 million bounty on the head of HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, following meetings between senior diplomats and representatives from the group, suggests a potential re-evaluation of the group’s status.

Despite these overtures, the presence of foreign fighters, Islamist extremists, and potential spoilers who may seek to destabilize the country by attacking minorities remains a significant challenge.

The international community is closely monitoring the situation, urging the new authorities to take concrete steps to guarantee the freedom of religion and belief for all.

The incident in Suqaylabiyah has cast a shadow over Christmas celebrations in Syria, leaving many Christians feeling vulnerable and uncertain about their future.