Christians in Syria React to Assad’s Exit: “No More Blood”

December 9, 2024 EMMANUEL ADEBAYO AJIBOLA

According to reports, the president of Syria, Bashar Al-Assad, has vacated/renounced office and left the country. This announcement was made on Sunday by Russia’s foreign minister, and this came as a surprise, as the long-time president is known to have withstood years of opposition from rebels with assistance from Moscow and Tehran.

The president’s step down came in the wake of a rapid offensive by rebel groups opposing the rule, signalling a pivotal moment in Syria’s history. His family had maintained a strong hold on the country since the 1970s. His resignation gives room for victory for rebel factions, who have spent over a decade trying to unseat him, much of it amidst the devastation of a prolonged civil war.

The rule of Mr. Al-Assad had brought hope to many, loosening them from the past administration that had used forces to exercise power. Also, it introduced a period of uncertainty about the country’s future leadership and heightened concerns over a possible power vacuum, as various fragmented factions compete for control of Syria’s territories.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, however, did not go further into details to disclose Mr. al-Assad’s whereabouts, stating only that he had engaged in discussions with “several parties of the armed conflict.” The Syrian presidency did not mention anything about his resignation.

The primary rebel coalition, Haliat Tahrir Al-Sham, on the early wake of Sunday, had dropped a message on his telegram channel to have taken control of Damascus, which made the Syrian armed forces withdraw.

The state television, which had rained praise on Mr. al-Assad’s defences, later aired an announcement from nine rebels. “The city of Damascus has been liberated; the tyrant Bashar al-Assad has been toppled,” one rebel also declared, “Long live a free and independent Syria for all Syrians of all sects.”

These developments culminated in a dramatic two-week period during which a coalition of rebel groups, previously confined to a small region in Syria’s northwest, advanced through major cities, breaking a long-standing stalemate in Syria’s 13-year civil war.

Iran’s foreign ministry stated in a statement that determining Syria’s future is “solely the responsibility” of the Syrian people. The ministry proposed a national dialogue bringing all sectors of Syrian society together to build a new government. Iran has been a major supporter of the Assad regime.

Further, attention has been drawn to rebels confiscating Christians. The Christian Post reported earlier this month that militants had begun removing Christmas decorations and had killed captured soldiers. The Iraqi Christian Foundation persuades prayers for Christians and other minorities living in Aleppo.

A human rights organisation known as Christian Solidarity International, based in Switzerland, called attention to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s control of Aleppo, linking it to the Islamic State’s 2014 seizure of Mosul. The group explained HTS’ history of enforcing a strict Sunni supremacist ideology, which has instilled fear among Aleppo’s diverse religious communities, including Christians, Alawites, Shiites, and non-observant Sunnis.

The United Nations’ Commission of Inquiry on Syria has recorded HTS’ strict administration, which includes executions, torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detentions, and the desecration of religious sites. These practices bring back the severe rule experienced during their earlier control from 2012 to 2016.

In addition, Christian Daily International has begun to receive prayers from Christians across the nation, some saying that the situation reoccurs from time to time, which makes it difficult to predict the next thing that would happen.

One Christian leader voiced out, saying,“We are praying for God’s protection so that His perfect good will be done in Syria. May the Lord rule over our nations by His love, justice, mercy, and sovereignty. No more blood, no more revenge, no more casualties.”