Human rights groups report that jihadists are warning Christians, saying, ‘You’re next’ in Syria

Image: Jihad Watch

Humanitarian groups supporting persecuted Christians reported this week that Islamic extremists are attacking and threatening Syria's remaining Christian minority, warning they are “next” after the Alawite Shia Muslims were targeted.

Violence erupted suddenly this weekend in Syria's western coastal regions, where Alawites were attacked in what was described as "revenge" for their perceived support of ousted dictator Bashar Assad. Assad and his family are Alawites, a minority sect within Shia Islam, and Sunni jihadists view all who share this identity as adversaries to their cause. These jihadists gained momentum after Assad's removal in December, following a successful conquest campaign led by the Al Qaeda-affiliated group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in late November 2024.

On Thursday, the HTS government, led by prominent jihadi Ahmed al-Sharaa, claimed that a group of Assad supporters launched attacks against their forces in Latakia province, a key Alawite stronghold. Sharaa’s regime acknowledged launching an “operation” against these fighters but asserted they aimed to avoid civilian casualties. However, the regime later admitted to significant atrocities and promised to form a “committee” to investigate. On Tuesday, they reported the arrest of four individuals linked to violence that, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), had claimed nearly 1,500 lives, many of whom were civilians.

Reports indicate that unknown jihadist groups have massacred entire Alawite families in their homes and carried out drone strikes on rural Alawite communities. SOHR described this violence as “the bloodiest revenge since the fall of the Assad regime.”

While the attacks have primarily targeted Alawites, there are also reports of threats and assaults on Christians. Under Assad’s rule, Christians were allowed to maintain their churches and worship, as long as they did not challenge the regime politically. Although Assad’s regime imprisoned and eliminated many Christian political dissidents, Christianity itself was not persecuted. However, the same Sunni jihadists who view Alawites as irredeemably loyal to Assad distrust Christian communities, deeming them incompatible with the country’s fabric, despite Christianity's far older presence in Syria than Islam.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)