First on FOX: The growth of violent attacks and killings in Syria under the Islamist control of a new regime led by Ahmed al-Sharaa puts the country's Christian community in the upper hand, with many fearing their future.
“The situation for Syrian Christians has reached a critical threshold and they claim they are wobbling at the edge of a catastrophe,” Jeff King, president of International Christian Concerns, told Fox News Digital.
“How long can faith hold as the jihadist storms begin to rain on them?” King added.
While King's organization has been actively supporting Syrian Christians and global persecuted Christians for many years, a group of Syrian Christians, known as the Eagles of Antioch, in the country's capital, known as the Eagles of Antioch, came together to protect their community and religious identities following the collapse of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
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The Eagles at the Antioch protest in Damascus following the burning of Christmas trees by extremists. (Antiocian Eagles)
The importance of the group is even more important given the attacks by Islamic extremists earlier this month.
“Eagles of Antioch” is a volunteer organization consisting of about 500 volunteers and operates in three predominantly Christian neighborhoods in Damascus. They watch over Christian areas from dusk to dawn, patrol the streets, and protect Christian shrines from attack.
Danial Giorgios, a construction engineer living in Damascus, spoke only to Fox News Digital about his group's work in Damascus neighborhoods. The 30-year-old Georgios and the Antioch Eagles want to fill the security gap until tensions ease.
“We want to be represented. We no longer accept the idea of being alienated or treated like second-class citizens,” he told Fox News Digital.
“We see ourselves as equals Muslims, Alawians and all Syrian citizens,” he added.
The group derives its name from the ancient city of Antioch, reflecting its deep-rooted connection to the patriarchy of Antioch. The members came from three major Christian denominations: the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, the Merkite Catholics of Antioch, and the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch.
Group members patrol the community and protect Christian holy sites such as shrines, symbols and churches. If the site is damaged or destroyed, the group hopes to repair it themselves and avoid escalation into sectarian conflicts between the Christian community and Sunni neighbours.
They advocate a system based on powerful municipalities or extreme local governance, allowing Christians across Syria to manage their own issues and celebrate religious festivals without fear of persecution. The group has successfully protected liquor stores, churches, shrines and settlements from theft and vandalism, according to the Eagles of Antioch.
Giorgios and his companions took action in December after a Christmas tree was set on fire at Al Skairbiya, just outside Hama. According to Georgios, radical jihadists were blamed for vandalism. After the incident, he and his fellow Christians organized a massive peaceful protest within Damascus, advocating for the equal rights of all Syrians.
Christians will meet on December 24th, 2024 in Sedonaya, Syria, to celebrate Christmas at the Monastery of Our Lady of Sedonaya. The newly liberated Syrian Christians are celebrating Christmas, but they may face an uncertain future after the Assad regime has overthrown. Christian Syrians are unsettled, and the new Islamist regime could alienate minority communities. (Ali Haji Suleiman/Getty Images)
“We hope we can police our area internally,” Georgios said. However, he emphasized that the actions taken were working with the HTS government and would not affect Syrian sovereignty or challenge its rules.
Even if HTS can provide full security to Damascus and other minority communities around Syria, Georgios said the group will not dissolve, but he is open to joining the state-sponsored local police under the authority of the HTS if the political transition continues.
“We want to be represented and no longer accept the idea of being alienated or treated like second-class citizens. We see ourselves as being equal to Muslims, Alawians and all Syrian citizens,” Georgios said.
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Since Assad fell and the HTS came to power, Georgios has argued that most of the attacks on the Christian community have been carried out by foreign factions or radical elements and not government-sanctioned.
Despite reports and accusations that HTS members are targeting Christians, he argues, “Not HTS, HTS is trying to avoid conflicts with Christians. HTS is now a nation, and as Christians we are trying to support stability.”
Syrian families fleeing the conflict in Syria will arrive on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 to cross to Hekha al-Daher, a northern village in Akkar province, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Hussain Mara)
HTS has promised not to target religious minorities during the lightning path to grab Damascus and defeat Assad. The group allowed religious minorities to coexist peacefully and assure the communities they controlled that they would not target their faith.
But King's organization is less hopeful. “The environment has been unstable at best since HTS overthrew the Assad regime in December 2024. However, the bloodshed unfolding in Latakia and Tartas from March 6-10 represents a horrifying escalation.
He continued, “Although the HTS has not yet implemented official anti-Christian policies (they are careful about public perceptions when solidifying control), certain factions and individual fighters are already targeting violent Christians.”
Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Jihadist Group chief Abu Mohamed Al-Jolani will check for damage following the earthquake on February 7, 2023 in the village of Vesnaya in the northwest province of Idlib, owned by Syrian rebels on the border with Turkey. (via Omar Haj Kadour/AFP Getty Images)
King's organization pointed out The new interim Syrian constitution states that “the religion of the President of the Republic is Islam,” and Article 3 declares, “Islamic jurisprudence is a major source of legislation.” The group stated that “the language was slightly more phenomenal than Syrian previous constitutions, citing Islamic law simply as one source.”
International Christian Concerns (ICC) also said the interim constitution “also guarantees the protection of all divine religions.” The ICC wrote that the document “appears to indicate that the government intends to tolerate Christians and other religious minorities.”
And there are some indications of encouragement, according to the Eagles of Antioch, who say they are closely coordinated with the HTS in Damascus, according to Georgios. This collaboration ensures that no Islamic rules are imposed on Christian neighborhoods. Together with the HTS police, they work to prevent crime and maintain safety and harmony within these communities.
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A wooden cross and Syrian flag can be seen at the Eagle of the Antioch Protest in Damascus in December 2024. (Antiocian Eagles)
Some volunteers have weapons approved and approved by HTS officials. They communicate with them, coordinate them, and provide information about those who committed the crime.
But despite some positive signs, King said, “The Christian population in Syria has already experienced a catastrophic decline, falling somewhere between 1.5 million and 300,000 to 500,000 before the conflict.
