Protests erupt in Syria following the burning of Christmas trees
Christians staged protests in Suqaylabiyah and Damascus following an incident where Islamist fighters burned a Christmas tree on Monday. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
### Christians in Syria Fear Persecution After Fall of Assad's Government
In the aftermath of attacks on their community, Christians in Suqaylabiyah, Syria, have taken to the streets to protest. This follows an incident earlier this week when a group of Islamist fighters set fire to a Christmas tree in the town, inciting considerable outrage among local residents who perceive the act as a direct assault on their religious identity.
Authorities from the Islamist factions operating in Damascus have attributed the arson to foreign jihadist elements active in the area and have vowed to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable.
Footage shared online on Monday showed masked individuals igniting a fire at the base of the Christmas tree, prominently displayed at a roundabout in this predominantly Christian town. Eyewitness reports suggest that these individuals hindered locals from extinguishing the flames.
Within hours, another video surfaced featuring an unidentified rebel alongside a Christian priest near the scorched tree. This rebel assured that the tree would be “completely restored” by Christmas Eve and claimed that eight foreign fighters had been apprehended in connection with the vandalism.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group linked to the rebels, the assailants were identified as foreigners belonging to the Ansar al Tawhid Islamist group.
In spite of the rebel's commitment to repair the damaged tree, hundreds of Christians gathered for protests in Suqaylabiyah and Damascus over the following days. One demonstrator expressed sentiment to AFP: “If we’re not allowed to live our Christian faith in our country, as we used to, then we don’t belong here anymore.”
Protesters in Damascus chanted, “Syria is free, non-Syrians should leave,” referencing the foreign jihadists who have bolstered rebel forces amid their recent offensive on the capital.
Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) jihadists initiated a surprise campaign in northern Syrian provinces, including Idlib and Aleppo, late last month. After quickly seizing Aleppo, they advanced toward Damascus, capturing towns such as Suqaylabiyah, Hama, and Homs, eventually joining forces with the US-backed Free Syrian Army for a final assault on the city.
As rebel forces entered the suburbs and former President Bashar Assad evacuated to Russia, where he was granted asylum, the broader implications for religious minorities in Syria became a point of concern.
Under Assad’s regime, Christians and other religious groups enjoyed the freedom to practice their faith openly. However, with HTS in control, many are apprehensive about potential persecution.
HTS emerged in 2017 from a merger of Jhabat al-Nusra, an offshoot of Al-Qaeda, and other Islamist factions. Although HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani has promised to respect minority rights, he has not specifically committed to protecting Christians.
A protester in Damascus commented to AFP: “[HTS] have not announced anything on stopping our celebrations… but there are Christians who don’t want to go out to celebrate because they fear that they might get attacked from rogue armed individuals.”
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
In the aftermath of attacks on their community, Christians in Suqaylabiyah, Syria, have taken to the streets to protest. This follows an incident earlier this week when a group of Islamist fighters set fire to a Christmas tree in the town, inciting considerable outrage among local residents who perceive the act as a direct assault on their religious identity.
Authorities from the Islamist factions operating in Damascus have attributed the arson to foreign jihadist elements active in the area and have vowed to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable.
Footage shared online on Monday showed masked individuals igniting a fire at the base of the Christmas tree, prominently displayed at a roundabout in this predominantly Christian town. Eyewitness reports suggest that these individuals hindered locals from extinguishing the flames.
Within hours, another video surfaced featuring an unidentified rebel alongside a Christian priest near the scorched tree. This rebel assured that the tree would be “completely restored” by Christmas Eve and claimed that eight foreign fighters had been apprehended in connection with the vandalism.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group linked to the rebels, the assailants were identified as foreigners belonging to the Ansar al Tawhid Islamist group.
In spite of the rebel's commitment to repair the damaged tree, hundreds of Christians gathered for protests in Suqaylabiyah and Damascus over the following days. One demonstrator expressed sentiment to AFP: “If we’re not allowed to live our Christian faith in our country, as we used to, then we don’t belong here anymore.”
Protesters in Damascus chanted, “Syria is free, non-Syrians should leave,” referencing the foreign jihadists who have bolstered rebel forces amid their recent offensive on the capital.
Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) jihadists initiated a surprise campaign in northern Syrian provinces, including Idlib and Aleppo, late last month. After quickly seizing Aleppo, they advanced toward Damascus, capturing towns such as Suqaylabiyah, Hama, and Homs, eventually joining forces with the US-backed Free Syrian Army for a final assault on the city.
As rebel forces entered the suburbs and former President Bashar Assad evacuated to Russia, where he was granted asylum, the broader implications for religious minorities in Syria became a point of concern.
Under Assad’s regime, Christians and other religious groups enjoyed the freedom to practice their faith openly. However, with HTS in control, many are apprehensive about potential persecution.
HTS emerged in 2017 from a merger of Jhabat al-Nusra, an offshoot of Al-Qaeda, and other Islamist factions. Although HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani has promised to respect minority rights, he has not specifically committed to protecting Christians.
A protester in Damascus commented to AFP: “[HTS] have not announced anything on stopping our celebrations… but there are Christians who don’t want to go out to celebrate because they fear that they might get attacked from rogue armed individuals.”
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
