Tensions flared in Damascus early Tuesday as hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in protest of a Christmas tree being set ablaze in Suqaylabiyah, a Christian-majority town near Hama. Chanting “We demand the rights of Christians,” the protesters marched toward the headquarters of the Orthodox Patriarchate in Bab Sharqi.
The demonstration comes just two weeks after an Islamist-led coalition, toppling President Bashar al-Assad’s government, sparked a wave of anger among Syria’s Christian community. Protesters voiced their frustrations, with one man named Georges expressing outrage over the growing injustice toward Christians. “If we can’t practice our faith freely, we no longer belong here,” he said.
The unrest was triggered by a video circulating on social media, showing masked militants from the Ansar al-Tawhid group burning the tree. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the involvement of foreign fighters from the Islamist faction.
In response, a leader from the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which recently played a key role in Assad’s downfall, assured the public that those responsible for the attack would be punished. “The tree will be restored and lit by morning,” he promised.
HTS, which has pledged to protect minorities since its takeover, is backed by Turkey and has roots in Al-Qaeda. Despite its violent rise to power, the group has sought to calm fears and assure Syrians that their rights will be upheld under its new rule.
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