The future for Christians in Syria remains uncertain following the recent toppling of Bashar Al Assad’s government by Islamic group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The fall of Assad’s regime has been met with widespread relief around the world, but how Christians will be treated remains unclear.
Sat-7, which supports the church in the Middle East, has spoken to several Syrian pastors following the change in regime, and found many to be fearful, but also hopeful that a better future may be ahead. One pastor expressed fear about the future, saying ‘change is always fearful, and entering a new era that is unknown and unstable is not accepted by human nature, and leads to worry, but we believe that God is present.’
Pastor Yacoub Sabbagh, from Homs, told Sat-7 that Christians ‘want to live as witnesses to the works of God in our lives and live in the peace of the Lord and give a hand to the other in love and peace.’ He added: ‘Revenge has never been rewarding. Forgiving is the answer. This is our Christian faith.’
